Jaya Shots
by MasterofCupcakes
Summary: A collection of Jaya one-shots and short stories. Canon and AU.
1. Perfect Match

**I like Jaya. And I am still in the mood for writing more Jaya fluff, so I am now starting now a Jaya one-shot collection.**

 **And it would be great if you could send me requests/suggestions for one-shots. I am really open for (almost) anything, and the idea can be either very specific or more general. For example:**

 **\- a theme, prompt, or even just a keyword**

 **\- a setting (canon or any kind of AU)**

 **\- a scene from the show (extend / re-write / write from am certain perspective)**

 **\- or whatever you like :).**

 **The only rules are:**

 **\- has to be a Jaya story (obviously)**

 **\- nothing over T-rated  
**

 **\- please submit your requests by PM and not by review (this applies to registered users only!). I really don't want to get into trouble for breaking the rules and guidelines...**

 **Also, I won't post anything related to the new season until after the US air date (but requests are welcome - I'm not that fast with writing anyway).**

 **[The story below contains some small references to** _ **Hands of Time**_ **but NO spoilers!]**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ninjago.**

* * *

Perfect Match

"Look. At. This. Mum. Isn't this great? Oh, and that. And over there…"

Emilia had her small freckled nose pressed against the shop window and excitedly pointed out the different gadgets on display inside to her mother.

"Can we go in? Pleeeaaase." The seven-year old begged.

Nya smiled. "Alright, sweetie. But just for five minutes. We don't want to let your dad eat all the ice cream by himself."

With a serious look on her face, the girl shook her head. "Daddy wou'nt do _that_. He'd get a tummy ache."

But apparently, Emilia still decided not to take the risk and pressed a button on her watch before bouncing into the shop.

"Good afternoon Mrs Walker. Hello Emilia. How are you?" The store manager herself greeted them. Not only was Emilia Cyrus Borg's third biggest fan (after her father and Dareth) and a regular visitor to the Ninjago City BorgStore, but she was also the oldest daughter of Jay Walker, head of the Borg Industries R&D department.

"Good afternoon. I am fine, thank you." Emilia politely replied, after a small nudge from her mother. She then proudly presented her wrist. "Do you like my watch?" She was wearing a prototype of the new _BorgWatch junior_.

"It looks fantastic. You know, we are just preparing for the product launch of our new models. What about I give you a tour and your mum can have a little break."

"I'd looove a tour. _All_ of Mr Borg's inventions are amazing. Isn't this right, mum?"

"Of course, sweetie." Nya replied. _Well,_ almost _all of them._ She thought.

* * *

 _The students and staff of Sensei Wu's Academy were on a field trip to Borg Industries' Borg Tower. While Jay, Kai, Cole and Zane were meeting with Cyrus Borg in his office, Nya, Wu and their students were given a tour of the tower by P.I.X.A.L., Cyrus' assistant._

 _They were currently in the exhibition hall, where designs and prototypes of Borg's latest inventions were shown, when Nya noticed a group of girls gathered around a large, sparkling device. Curiously, she walked over._

" _Whoa! They have a Perfect Match Console." Nya heard one of the girls say._

" _What's Perfect Match?" Nya enquired._

" _It's the latest craze." Her student explained. "It finds your perfect partner with flawless results. You should try it, Miss Nya."_

 _Nya hesitated. As much as she believed in technology, she doubted that a machine would be capable of finding someone's_ soulmate _, just by analysing facts and figures. Plus, she already_ was _in a relationship.  
_

 _But, on the other hand, what harm could come from giving it a try?_

 _Eventually, curiosity won over sceptcism and Nya stepped onto the console._

" _Hello Nya." A robotic voice greeted her. "You are an independent, self-confident young woman who refuses to be in a boys' club. Analysing match now."_

" _Of course, it's gonna be Mr. Jay." Sally commented._

 _This remark completely took Nya surprise. Without waiting for the analysis to be completed, she stepped off the machine._

" _W-why would you think that?" She asked._

 _When they had started teaching at Sensei Wu's Academy, Nya and Jay had 'agreed' to not make their relationship public at the school and had set themselves boundaries. (In reality, it had been more the case of Nya making the 'suggestion' and Jay not having the option to disagree.) During the school day, including their breaks in the teachers' lounge, they would interact in a strictly_ professional _way, without any kissing or hugging or any other display of affection. Teaching young children – including several former students of Darkley's Boarding School for Bad Boys – and gaining their respect was hard enough for them as it was. They really didn't need things like "Miss Nya and Mr Jay are sitting in a tree…"_

 _So, how did the students find out about them? Or… if they didn't find out, why would they think that_ he _could be her_ perfect match _. From an objective point of view, Jay was far from perfect._

" _Because of the way you look at each other when you think no one sees you." Sally told her. "And why would Mr Jay visit your classroom every morning before school starts, to sharpen all your pencils and put fresh flowers on your desk? Because he's in looove with you." The girl giggled._

 _Now, Nya was even more surprised. "Jay does all this?"_

" _Well, who else would do it? Unfortunately, there are no house elves at our school." Sally informed her._

" _Ooh, I wish we had them… especially when it's Mr Cole's turn to cook." One of the other girls said._

" _Mr Cole is the worst." Gene shouted from the far end of the room._

" _Well, what_ I _wish is that someone will do these kind of things for me one day..." Sally stated firmly, with a longing look in Brad Tudabone's direction._

 _Nya suddenly felt_ very _stupid. She had been so focused on acting mature and serious in public, that she had completely missed all those little favours Jay secretly did for her…_

" _Analysis incomplete." The robotic voice told her. "Perfect match could not be identified."  
_

" _Are you going to try again Miss Nya?" Sally asked._

 _Nya shook her head. "I think it is time to continue our tour now."_

" _Aww, but then we'll never know who your perfect match is, Miss Nya." Several girls complained._

 _Nya smiled. "No, we won't, but whoever it was, I'd prefer_ your _answer anyway."_

* * *

"Mum?"

"Muuum?"

"Muhuuuuum?"

Deep in her thoughts, Nya suddenly realised that someone was tugging on her shirt. Emilia was looking at her with a worried expression on her face, a few small tears glistening in her blue eyes.

"Mum, are you alright?"

"Sorry, sweetie. I was just thinking about something." She smiled at her daughter. "Did you get to see everything?"

Emilia nodded excitedly, already forgetting about her worries. "Yes. E-ve-ry-thing."

"That's great. And did your alarm go off already?"

"Aaages ago."

"Then we better say Thank You and go meet daddy for some ice cream."

Beaming at her mother, Emilia took Nya's hand and pulled her towards the exit.

"Are you really alright?"

"I sure am, sweetie. I'm doing absolutely _perfect._ "

* * *

 **I've just realised that it's technically not a Jaya story because Jay doesn't appear in it ;)... Hope you still enjoyed it!  
**


	2. At Your Most Beautiful

**Thank you very much for all the nice comments and suggestions!**

 **Guest: No worries, I've already watched the whole season on CN UK (I live in Ireland).**

 **This story combines ideas from Beatitude Girl (proposal), and Johnathen (Jay and Nya getting married and having a baby). I have never written either of these before (I had considered doing a proposal for my Jaya Christmas fic but then used a different idea in the end), so I thought why not put them all together in one story … it _may_ have turned out a bit too fluffy though ;).**

 **The title and the** ** **first sentence (in italics) are** from the song ' _At my most beautiful_ ' by R.E.M.  
**

* * *

At your most beautiful

 _I've found a way, a way to make you smile._

* * *

Jay would never forget the first time her saw her.

He, Cole and Zane had just arrived at the entrance to the Temple of Fire, having lost their Golden Weapons and Jay's voice on the way.

When suddenly the temple split open, revealing the impressive form of the Fire Dragon, Cole next to him gave a very unmanly squeak and hid behind a pillar, but Jay found himself unable to move. Not because he was unimpressed (most certainly not) or frozen with fear (maybe just a little bit), but because he was too focused on the two people on the dragon's neck, in particular on the person at the back.

Sitting behind the Red Ninja was the prettiest girl Jay had ever seen.

She had short raven hair in a bob cut and was wearing a crimson red oriental outfit, the colour of her dress perfectly matching the colour of her lips.

Despite the many differences in their appearances, Jay immediately recognised her as Kai's kidnapped sister, for her chocolate brown eyes displayed the same fire and determination as her brother's amber ones.

There was so much the talkative inventor wanted to tell her. And there was even more to find out about her – including her name. But Jay knew that this would have to wait until after their mission – when he would hopefully have his voice back – so right now he just had to settle for the most important piece of information.

"Oooyoulikebloo?" He croaked and Zane, being a great friend, translated for her. "He cannot speak but he wants to know if you like blue."

The girl turned her attention to the Blue Ninja. "It's my favourite colour." She replied, with a bright smile on her face.

At that very moment, Jay knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. And he was convinced that _nothing_ could ever be more beautiful than this _first_ smile.

* * *

It came as quite a surprise to him when, much later, Jay discovered that he had been wrong all along.

After several years of dating, he was finally going to propose to his girlfriend. He had chosen the very same location where their actual relationship had begun, so he had taken Nya on a date at the _Mega Monster Amusement Park_.

While they were waiting in the queue for the rollercoaster, Jay uneasily shifted from one foot to the other. He was glad that Nya was holding his right hand in a firm grip, so he would not be able to run away. His other hand, with a piece of string tied around his wrist like a bracelet to secure the ring, was safely hidden in his pocket.

"Are you alright?" The love of hs life asked, a worried look on her face. "You look a bit pale."

He swallowed, forcing a little smile. "I-I am f-fine."

Trying to calm himself down, the Master of Lightning went through the details of his rather ambitious plan in his mind, for the umpteenth time on that day. Putting his idea of proposing to Nya _during_ a rollercoaster ride into action had taken him a lot of preparation and planning and he was not going to waste all that effort. Over the previous few days, he had done a couple of 'practise runs' (the other people on the rollercoaster had looked at him like he was crazy), to get the timing right and have her immediate reaction caught by the camera installed at the ride.

And in the end, it was all worth it.

The expression on Nya's face was a perfect mix of surprise and elation, combined with the thrill from the rollercoaster.

It immediately became Jay's new favourite image of his gorgeous fiancée.

* * *

But then, just a few months later, the Master of Lightning had no choice but to change his mind _again_.

As he watched Kai walking his sister down the aisle, Jay was sure his heart skipped more than just one beat.

Nya was wearing a simple yet elegant bridal gown made from ivory satin. The sleeveless dress with a bateau neckline, beaded belt and slim A-line skirt perfectly accentuated her petite curves. The skirt was lightly accented by scattered beading and the same embellishments were present on her waist-length ivory veil.

And when she smiled at him, Jay was completely lost for words. He was so absorbed in her appearance that he didn't even hear the snickering in the congregation when he _almost_ forgot his speech.

"Nya. When we first met, I didn't even know your name. All I knew was that blue was your favourite colour and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. And every day since then, I have fallen more and more in love with you, the better I have gotten to know you. I promise to love and cherish you for as long as I live, and beyond."

Even without a tiara in her raven black hair, Jay thought that his bride looked exactly like a princess from a fairy tale. And he made another, silent, vow to himself, to always treat her like one.

And then, just as they were about to kiss, Nya gave him themost beautiful smile he had ever seen, full of adoration and of hopes for their shared future. Their faces were already very close together, so it was for his eyes only and even Jay saw it only for a very short moment before they both closed their eyes.

But he would never forget this _perfect_ smile for the rest of his life.

* * *

"This is all your fault." Nya shouted at him. "You did this to me. I hate you."

No, right now, she was not smiling. She was not looking like a princess. And she was definitely not acting like one.

The former Samurai X was giving birth to their first child and she was dealing with the pains of labour like a true warrior, namely by insulting her enemy (or her husband, for that matter).

Jay simply responded by wiping her sweat-covered forehead with a moist cloth.

"You are doing really well, Mrs Walker." The midwife told his wife, completely unimpressed by her latest outbreak. "Believe me, I've heard much worse." She had told Jay earlier. He wasn't sure he had though.

He put the cloth away, and gently took Nya's hand, only to have it crushed by his wife's strong grip as another contraction overtook her body.

"Ouch." Jay winced but when he saw his wife shooting him a glare, he immediately became silent and ignored the pains in his hand

"K-keep going, y-you are doing great." The usually very talkative man _really_ didn't know how what to say to Nya at that moment, so he simply repeated what he had heard the hospital staff tell her earlier.

"I am _not_ doing great and _you_ are going to sleep on the couch for the rest of your life." She hissed through gritted teeth.

"Don't worry. That's what they all say." The midwife mouthed to him.

* * *

Nya's features softened immediately, when the midwife finally placed their newborn baby on her chest and carefully covered them both with a clean blanket.

"Congratulations, it's a healthy and beautiful baby girl." She told the new parents. "We will give you some time to get used to each other before we move you to your own room. If you need any help, you can just call me." The midwife then turned to Jay. "Would you like an icepack for your hand?"

"N-no, thanks. I-I think it's fine." He shook his head, not wanting to be the one complaining about pains. And right now, he didn't care about his hand anyway.

But his wife gave him an embarrassed look. "I am sorry for hurting your hand. And for shouting at you and calling you… things."

Jay smiled at her. "It's fine. As long as it helped you. Although I was surprised you actually _knew_ all these words..."

She laughed. "What else do you expect from someone who has lived with five guys on a small ship, one of them being a former Darkley's student…"

Nya gently stroked her daughter's tiny ear with her index finger. "If you've heard anything that mummy said earlier, you'd better forget it straight away. I never want to hear those words from _your_ cute little mouth."

They studied their daughter's features with affection and curiosity. "Except for your eyes, she looks a lot like Kai on his baby pictures." Nya stated. "She definitely has the same mouth and nose."

"Let's hope she won't get his hair." Jay laughed. "But I just think she is as beautiful as her mum. Thank you." He carefully stroke over his daughter's head.

"Why don't you get some rest while I quickly go outside to call my parents and your brother, they must be dying for some news." Jay suggested. "Is there anything you would like from the coffee shop?"

"I don't need _anything_." Nya replied. "Well, except for a shower and some sleep. Just come back soon."

"I'll try to keep it short, but you know my parents…" Jay got up and planted a loving kiss on Nya's lips, while carefully moving his hand over the fuzz of brown hair on the baby's head. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Before he left the room, Jay briefly turned around to take another look at his wife and infant daughter.

Nya was watching the child who had started to wake up and was lightly stirring on her chest. Her sweaty hair was plastered to her head and the exhaustion was clearly visible on her – slightly fuller – face.

When she felt his eyes on them, Nya looked up and gave her husband a tired yet overjoyed smile.

And she had _never_ looked more beautiful to him.


	3. Movie Night (Part 1)

**Apologies for my little absence. I was on holidays and the reception (internet was only through my mobile) was rather poor. Still have a looong list of alerts to catch up on!**

 **This one-shot is a request for Loki God of Evil: 'Jay invites Nya to his father's home for a cosy evening. Then Jay surprises her and dresses up as all of his favourite superheroes, courtesy of Cliff Gordon's expansive costume collection.'**

 **Set somewhere between** _ **Skybound**_ **and** _ **Hands of Time**_ **. Rated T for slightly suggestive themes.**

* * *

A Special Kind of Movie Night (Part 1)

"So, tell me. Where are we going for our date?" Nya asked, her arms tightly wrapped around her boyfriend's waist, as they were flying over one of the fancier outskirts of Ninjago City.

"It's a surprise." Jay replied with a smirk (which, luckily, she couldn't see from her position behind him). "You'll just have to wait and see."

The Master of Lightning was taking his girlfriend on a surprise 'dinner and movie' date, so this was one of the rare occasions where he was the one steering their Hybrid Dragon. Usually, she wanted to be the one in control, in _everything_ they did.

Which also meant that Nya was most certainly not happy with his answer.

Jay could _feel_ her glaring at his back. And he was sure she would have let go of him and crossed her arms in annoyance, if the Water and Lightning Dragon hadn't just started to descend. The Blue Ninja skilfully landed it on a clear spot inside a small forest.

"We have reached our final destination. Captain Walker and his crew would like to thank you for flying with Hydroelectric Airlines." He announced. "We hope you enjoyed your flight and would like to welcome you on board again very soon."

"It wasn't a bad ride, but don't get used to being in front." Nya replied, laughing. The Water Ninja had apparently forgiven his earlier secrecy and curiously took in their surroundings. Together, the couple dispelled their dragon, before Jay took Nya's hand to lead her across a cobblestone path through the woods.

"Now, can you _finally_ tell me where we are? This doesn't look like a restaurant..." Nya enquired.

"That's because it isn't. And you've been here before - well technically you haven't, argh, this is just too complicated. So, let's just say you _might_ recognise this place from before…" Jay told her.

As they kept walking, a large, luxurious mansion soon came into their view.

"Oh, isn't this…?!" Nya started.

"Yes." Jay confirmed. "It's my birth father's villa. Or rather, it _was_ his house. Today, when I went to see my parents, we actually had a meeting with his solicitor, who confirmed that Cliff Gordon really was my father, and that he left _everything_ to me when he passed. After that, we came here to look through a few things."

"Wow. That's quite some news." Nya was impressed. "Have you already decided what you're gonna do with this place?"

"I-I would like to keep it. I think this is what he would have wanted me to do. And he left me enough money to maintain the whole estate, even if we don't use it right now. And..." Jay blushed. "I guess it could make a nice family home one day. Of course, that won't be _my_ decision alone…" He quickly added, just too well aware of the fact that his girlfriend preferred to make her own choices.

But Nya smiled at him and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, we don't have to decide _that_ today, but I also think that keeping the house is the right thing to do."

Jay took the keys from his pocket and opened the door. "Welcome to my humble abode… again." He announced, turning on the lights in the main hall.

"So, this time you know where all the light switches are?" Nya joked.

"Very funny. But yes, I do." Jay joined in her laughter. "And I can even give you a full tour of the house later."

"Later?" Nya raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, later. First, I have a little surprise for you. Why don't you wait in the living room? It's over there. And I'll be back in a flash."

As the Blue Ninja sped up the stairs to the first floor, Nya walked into the spacious living room and looked around. The walls were decorated with pictures of Cliff Gordon, most of them showing him together with his awards and/or other celebrities. The dining table was tastefully set for a candlelight dinner for two. Nya wasn't an expert in such things, but the tableware looked rather expensive to her.

When the blacksmith's daughter inspected the silver knives (which, in her opinion, could use sharpening), she heard her boyfriend walk down the stairs again. But instead of joining her in the living room straight away, he first went into the kitchen next door, where he could then be heard rummaging. Nya took a seat on the huge sofa and waited for him.

When Jay entered the living room, her jaw dropped in surprise. The Lightning Ninja was dressed in an elegant two-piece dinner suit made from black silk, which was completed by a white waffle weave dinner shirt and a black silk bow-tie. In his hands, he carefully carried two champagne flutes with a sparkling, pale yellow liquid.

Jay took a small bow in front of her. "May I offer you a glass of champagne, Mademoiselle?"

"Thank you, Monsieur…"

"The name's _Walker_. Jay Walker." He replied, putting an emphasis on his adopted parents' last name. When he handed her one of the glasses, shiny palladium cufflinks were showing from underneath Jay's dinner jacket.

The Blue Ninja sat down next to her on the sofa. "To a nice evening, away from the other guys." He said.

"To us." Nya replied, clinking their glasses before taking a sip from hers. "Mmh, this must be the best champagne I've ever tasted."

"It's probably also the most expensive stuff we've ever had. There's a very well stocked wine cellar downstairs, wouldn't want to let that go to waste."

"Definitely not. And we'd better not tell the others about it." Nya agreed. She mustered her boyfriend again. "You look great, I'm feeling a bit underdressed now."

It was a warm summer night, so Nya herself had chosen a light and casual outfit. She was wearing a sleeveless, mid length chiffon dress.

"I-I really didn't mean to do that. And I think you look absolutely fantastic." Jay blushed when he realised that he was staring at the rather deep V-neckline of the sky-blue dress. He raised his head so he was looking back into her eyes.

"Thank you. I am glad you like the dress. But where did you get that suit?"

"I found it among…ahem…" Jay hesitated. He was still unsure by which name or 'title' he should refer to his birth father. "… _Cliff's_ stuff. You wouldn't believe the size of his wardrobe. Turned out we have the same clothes size. I think I'll never have to buy formal clothes again. And he has a whole walk-in closet just with costumes. And not just from his own movies… anyway, I thought this would be a nice occasion to try this one. Even though I don't have the best memories of wearing something fancy for our date..."

"Well, this time you've definitely managed to impress me. And now have a whole house to ourselves, what have you planned for tonight?" Nya asked.

Jay ignored the seductive tone in her voice. He had _other_ plans for the evening. Or, at least, for the first part of it. "Well, I've promised you a nice dinner and a movie and, as you should know by now, I'm a man of my word. When looking through _his_ things, I found these DVDs." Two cases were lying on the square coffee table in front of the sofa. "They contain unedited versions, probably from test screenings, of his two final and as yet unreleased projects, the latest _Starfarers_ movie and a Clutch Powers biopic. It would mean a lot to me if you could watch them with me, I-I don't think I can do that by myself." He admitted.

Nya gave his arm a little squeeze. "Of course, I will. I love you and I'll do _anything_ to help you get through this."

"I love you too. And thanks for doing that for me. But it'll have to wait until after dinner. Our food should be here soon."

"Please don't tell me we're gonna have take-out tonight..."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Jay went to answer the door and Nya followed him into the main hall.

" _Buonasera_ , _Signore_ Jay." A friendly looking middle-aged man with short dark hair greeted the Lightning Ninja. He was carrying a grey polystyrene box as well as a small cool bag.

" _Buonasera_ , Michele. Thank you so much for doing this." Jay responded.

"Ah, everything for our favourite Ninja." The man, Michele, handed him the box. "By the way, Maria sends her love. She misses you."

"I am really sorry about that, we've just been so busy. Please say hi to her and the kids. I will try to visit again soon"

" _Eccellente_. Ah, and _la bella Signorina_ Nya. I have heard so much about you, I am delighted to finally meet you. My little Benedetta admires you. She has just started swimming lessons." Michele gave the bag to Nya. "Please keep this in the freezer until you eat it."

Jay handed the man a couple of notes, while carefully balancing the polystyrene box in one hand. " _Mille grazie_."

" _Grazie_ to you." Michele replied. "Enjoy your dinner. And, I hope _both_ of you will come by very soon. _Ciao_."

"We will. I promise." Nya nodded in agreement.

"Who was that? How does he know about me? And who is Maria?" She enquired after Michele had left, suspiciously raising an eyebrow.

"Michele has a very nice little Italian restaurant, which is very close to the apartment where I lived during… well, you know, when I did that _Ninja Challenge_ show. They make the best pasta in the whole of Ninjago, so I would go there quite often for dinner. And Michele's wife Maria was a huge fan and recurrent contestant of the show, so he kinda owed me a favour." Jay explained.

"And when did you learn Italian? I thought we would keep no more secrets from each other…" Nya sounded disappointed.

"I've never actually learned it. Michele and his family have just taught me a few phrases. I swear, this was pretty much all I know."

"Alright. I guess what you did during _that_ time is none of _my_ business anyway."

"Hey, I am not keeping anything from you on purpose. _Everything_ about me can be your business, if you want. It's just that… I-I just don't like to talk – or even think – too much of that time. That's also one of the reasons why I haven't gone back there. Eating out on your own really every night isn't much fun..."

"I am sorry." Nya whispered, shamefacedly looking down. Jay absolutely hated seeing her upset. And he hated even more that he was the reason for it. So, he quickly put down the box and pulled his girlfriend in a tight hug.

"So am I. But, as Sensei always says, the past is the past and the future is the future." He once more used the _power of positve thinking_. "So, let's focus on the present – and our dinner before it gets cold. Or melts." He nodded towards the bag in Nya's hand.

They carried their food into the spacious and well-equipped kitchen. As recommended, the content of the cool bag went straight in the freezer. The polystyrene box contained several small terracotta bowls covered with tin foil. The two elemental masters placed them on a tray and removed the cover.

"Wow, everything smells very nice, makes me really hungry. And those bowls will look really pretty on the table." Nya remarked.

"Oh, believe me, the food tastes even better than it smells." Jay told her, carefully taking the tray. "Can you please take the wine? It's over there, I already opened it earlier when I got the champagne."

A crystal decanter with a deep red liquid was sitting on the counter. "It's a 2006 _Amarone_ della _Valpolicella_ , courtesy of Cliff Gordon's wine cellar." Jay explained. "Please don't ask me what that means but it sounds good and rather costly." He added, laughing.

They enjoyed their dinner, a selection of different types of pasta - _cannelloni_ (with ricotta and spinach), _lasagne al forno_ , _mezzelune_ (with pear and pecorino), _porcini-filled ravioli_ , and _fettuccine alfredo_ – followed by a generous portion of _tartufo_.

Together, they placed the dirty dished into the dishwasher and, with their refilled wine glasses, sat down once more on the comfortable sofa.

"Phew, I am stuffed. You were right, the food was amazing." Nya commented. "We really should go there for dinner some time soon – I mean, if it's okay with you."

"I'd love to." Jay smiled at her. "But I also like this more private setting for our date…"

"So do I." Nya smiled back. "And I don't think I can leave this sofa ever again after all this food, so a movie would be really nice now. Which movie do you want to watch first?"

"I am sure Lloyd would love to see the _Starfarers_ movie as well, so we could maybe take that one home and watch the other one tonight?" Jay suggested.

"Sounds great." Nya agreed. Jay put the disc in the DVD player. When he sat back down, Nya snuggled up to him. He put one arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and used his free hand to switch on the TV and start the film.

* * *

"Wow, that film was really good. Cliff Gordon was an amazing actor." Nya stated, sitting up. "But it feels a bit strange now to watch him, knowing he was your biological father."

"I know." Jay said, stretching his arms. "And I am really glad you were here with me."

"I am glad to be here with you, too." Nya leaned in again to place a soft kiss on his lips. "And we have two more hours to ourselves, before we have to head home." They had promised their Sensei and her brother to be back by 1am.

"Any suggestions on what to do with that time, Miss Smith?" He winked at her.

"Well, you still haven't shown me the rest of _your_ house, Mister Walker. I am sure there are some very _interesting_ rooms upstairs…"

"There most certainly are. But if I give you a proper tour, we'll need to start with the ground floor."

"What do you mean?" Nya gave him a questioning look. "I've already seen the hall, this room, the kitchen and the guest bathroom. That should be it right?"

Jay shook his head. "There is one more room." He walked to the side board and moved one of the golden trophies, thereby revealing the entrance to Cliff Gordon's secret make-up room.

Nya walked over to the back wall, where photos of Jay as well as his ZX gi were displayed.

"Look at this." She exclaimed excitedly. "These are all pictures of _you_."

"I know. I have no idea how he got all those, but it's nice to know that he still cared about me, even though he _abandoned_ his own son." Jay's voice sounded slightly upset.

"I am sure he had good reasons to give you up." Nya tried to comfort her boyfriend. "And he left you with the best parents one could possibly ask for."

"You are right." Jay gave her a little smile. "And hopefully, one day I will find out more about those reasons, and about my birth mother. Now, let's continue our tour." He took her hand and led her back to the secret door. On their way out, Nya looked at the several film outfits that were displayed along the walls.

"Look, one of the costumes is missing." She noticed.

Jay blushed. "Uh, it's not _exactly_ missing. The _Fritz Donnegan_ outfit is upstairs in the master bedroom. I _may_ have tried it on earlier…"

"Oh, I would love to see that." Nya told him.

"Sure, we're going upstairs now anyway…"

"No, silly. I meant to see you _wearing_ it." She informed her boyfriend.

Jay stopped in his tracks. "There's no way I'm gonna dress up as Fritz Donnegan."

"I thought you already did…"

"But… not in front of somebody else."

"C'mon, don't be shy. I thought _fear isn't a word where you come from_." She teased him. "Sure it will be fun."

"But…"

"Butts are for sitting. And I am sure _yours_ will look great in that costume." Nya could be _very_ convincing.

"Alright." Jay sighed in defeat. "But no pictures. And no telling the other guys."

"Deal."

"Now, let's go upstairs and get you in that outfit. And didn't you say earlier that there's a whole walk-in closet full of costumes?"

* * *

 **Well, I started writing this one-shot and suddenly had almost 3000 words before even getting to the fun part (and actual request). So, I've decided to split the story into two parts. I've already got a good bit of the second part written, but I'd love to get some suggestions for characters (movie characters, cartoon superheroes etc) that you would like to see Jay dress up as.**


	4. Cliff's Closet (Part 2)

**I've had some real trouble posting this chapter. First, the site wouldn't let me upload the document, then I wasn't able to update the story. But anyway** **, here we go...**

 **So, despite** **the different title, this one-shot is the second part to 'Movie Night'.**

 **Thanks for all the nice comments on the first part and especially for the costume suggestions! Let's see if you'll recognise all the movie references and quotes :D.**

* * *

Cliff's Closet (Movie Night / Part 2)

Jay took Nya's hand and led her up the up the stairs to the first floor. While the living room displayed Cliff Gordon's professional awards and achievements, the walls of the main hall and staircase were covered with an impressive collection of pieces of modern art. It was obvious that both areas aimed to impress any visitor entering the building.

But when the couple reached to upper level and turned around the corner towards Cliff Gordon's private wing, they noticed that the style of wall decorations abruptly changed. The plain white walls were randomly hung with a huge number of photos in simple (and non-matching) frames. All of them showed Cliff Gordon celebrating with other celebrities, on most of them they were dressed in costumes.

"He must have been a very popular party guest." Nya remarked.

"Yes, but have you noticed that _all_ these pictures were taken at parties?" Jay replied. "And he is never shown on his own but always the centre of attention. I think Cliff Gordon secretly may have been a very lonely person, so he surrounded himself with these images of him and his 'friends'."

Nya gave his hand a comforting squeeze. "Don't blame yourself for that. You didn't know about him until… you know… it was too late."

"I know." Jay sighed. "It's just that… all my life, I've kind of idolised this man. It's hard to find out that he's made his share of mistakes. And that, despite all his fame and fortune, he probably still hasn't led the perfect life."

"Yes, but _never_ think that you were one of his mistakes. And you are not like him, either." Nya could tell that Jay was worried that he would end up on his own like his birth father. "I promise."

Jay nodded. "Thanks." He said with a weak smile.

"You're welcome." Nya gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Listen, if it upsets you, we really don't have to do this now, I-I don't want to push you into something you don't want to do. We can just go back downstairs."

"No, no, I'm fine." Jay replied. "If I must face the truth about myself, I-I'll rather do this with you than on my own. Also, there is something I _really_ would like to show you. And, unlike Cliff, I will be putting on the costume for a person I _truly_ care about."

"And who cares a lot about you too." Nya reassured him, as they walked along the hallway.

"These are guest rooms." Jay explained, pointing at the closed doors to their left and right. "I don't think they've been used in a while, but all appear to be in pretty good condition, and they are _en-suite_. I wish we had _that_ on the _Bounty_ as well…"

"I am so glad I have my own bathroom." Nya agreed.

They finally came to stop at the end of the corridor, in front of a slightly ajar dark blue door. The frame was of the same colour, with white lightning patterns running from top to bottom on either side of the door. Nya noticed that the paint on the door and frame was chipped in a few places and had started to peel off. All in all, it looked very old, and it definitely presented a huge contrast to the rest of the house, which was painted in immaculate white with modern walnut wooden doors.

"This…" Jay pushed the door further open. "… is-was Cliff Gordon's Master Bedroom."

Nya followed her boyfriend inside the room and looked around. Two open doors on the left and right walls led to a spacious bathroom and walk-in closet, respectively. The super king-sized bed in the centre of the room was still perfectly made, just as if the actor was still alive and to soon return home again. The girl shivered. She almost felt like she was invading the deceased man's privacy.

"Come and have a look at this." Jay's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. He was sitting on the side of the bed, holding a silver picture frame in his hand. Nya joined him and he carefully handed her the object. The photo showed a young and very happy looking Cliff Gordon embracing a beautiful blonde woman. She had long, wavy hair and sparkling blue eyes. The colour and pattern of her outfit matched those on the door they had just come through.

"She is very beautiful. And she must have been important to him." The Water Ninja commented. "Any idea who that is? Do you think…"

"I don't know. But I am going to find out." The Master of Lightning replied in a determined voice.

His girlfriend continued to study the picture. "I can't believe we've never noticed that you _do_ look a lot like him…" She said. "Now I am trying to imagine you with a moustache…"

"Ooh, I am going to look sooo awesome with a beard…" Jay grinned, remembering the image of his future self that he had seen in the FSM's tomb. "And you will love it."

"As long as it won't turn out like Sensei Wu's…" Nya joined in his laughter. She was relieved that all the discoveries – and open questions – about his heritage had not made the Blue Ninja lose his general positive outlook.

"Nah, if I had a long white beard, I would also have to become as wise and serious as him. And that will _never_ happen." The young man carefully took the picture off her hands and gently placed it back on the bedside table.

"I am glad to hear that. Because I like you best when you are _you_."

Jay planted a firm kiss on her lips before standing up. "And if I remember correctly you once told me that one of the reasons you like me is that I always stand by my words. So, I better keep my promise to show you my birth father's wardrobe."

He held out his hands to help her get up from the deep, soft mattress as well.

"This is bigger than my whole room." Nya remarked, when they entered the spacious walk-in closet.

"And it probably has more clothes than all eight of us combined." Jay agreed. "I've only had a quick look, but this side seems to have his normal clothes, both casual and formal outfits. And this side is his costume collection.

"And that?" Nya gestured at the pile of white fabric on the floor. No matter how much she loved him, she would _never_ get used to Jay's way of dealing with his used clothes, and especially his sweaty training outfits.

"Uh…" Blushing, Jay hurriedly picked up the clothes. "That's the Fritz Donnegan costume we were talking about. Of course, I _purposely_ left it out here to show you. Why don't you have a look through the other costumes, while I get changed?"

Holding onto the outfit, he ran back into the bedroom, whereas his girlfriend began to examine the content of the walk-in closet.

"To Infinity and Beyond." Someone suddenly yelled right behind her. Nya spun around and found herself looking straight at a light blue _Fritz Donnegan_ replica gun. After changing into the costume, Jay had used his Ninja skills to sneak up on his girlfriend and was now grinning widely.

"It really suits you." Nya stated. "But aren't you mixing up a few things?"

"Well spotted. It was just a test to see if you really paid attention when we went to see the movie."

"Hey, as I told you, I actually really liked the movie. Plus, it was the best way to blank out your and Cole's childish behaviour."

"…"

"But…" The Water Ninja used a well-aimed round kick to displace the gun from the other's hand without hurting him, sending the weapon flying through the room. Before her boyfriend had even processed what was going on, she had already skilfully caught it mid-air. Now, it was Nya's turn to point the gun at _him_ , a playful smile on her face. "… you should _never_ doubt me. Now _fear_ the consequences."

"Fear? Fear isn't a word where I come from." Jay exclaimed. He coolly walked towards Nya and gently placed his hands on both sides of her face, pulling her into a deep kiss. She melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck, dropping the toy gun in the process.

"I know that you just wanted to make me let go of the gun." She mumbled, as they were finally breaking apart. "It was a completely unfair move, but I am willing to accept defeat."

Jay smiled, as he gently tucked a loose strand of black hair behind her ear. "I wouldn't have expected to ever hear these words from you, Miss Smith."

"Another thing you should not get used to, Mr Walker." She smiled back.

"But I _could_ get used to spending time with you here, away from the others."

"Me too. Why don't we just stay overnight? There's no training tomorrow morning."

"I'd love to. But do you think your brother will be okay with it?"

"As long as he knows where we are."

"Are you sure we are talking about the same person?"

"I only have one brother and you should give him some credit. He's not _that_ overprotective anymore."

"But… he is always so adamant about us being back home in time…"

"Kai simply doesn't like me to be running around town at night, that's why. But he is totally fine with _us_ – even though he would never admit that to you."

"Uhm, okay then. Can… uhm… you call him?"

"But that mean that you'll owe me a favour." Nya smirked.

"Which would be?"

"This." Nya gestured around the room. "These costumes are amazing. So, _we_ are going to look through them together and then _you_ are going to wear them for me."

"All of them?" Jay enquired.

"Just the ones I choose."

"Do I get to say a word in that as well?"

"Maybe if you ask nicely…"

"And no pictures?"

"No pictures."

"Okay, deal." _I'll do almost anything, if I don't have to deal with your brother tonight._

"Great, I've already seen a few I'd really love to see you wear." She excitedly went back to the rail holding the costumes and started rummaging through the outfits again.

Now, Jay was getting _a little bit_ worried. _Maybe it would have been better if we had just stuck to the original plan and gone home…_ He thought.

"Excuse me." Nya was standing in front of him, already holding a decent-sized pile of clothes in her arms. Jay jumped to the side, so that Nya could get past him and placed the costumes on the bed. "These are non-negotiable." She said. "We can now decide on the rest together."

The two warriors were soon standing side by side in front of the long clothes rail, presenting different outfits to each other, that would then either join the pile on the bed or be placed back in the closet, never to be spoken of again.

"What about this one?" Nya held up an inflatable _Jabba the Hutt_ costume.

"Only if _you_ wear that." Jay replied, showing her the matching _Princess Leia_ outfit.

Nya curiously inspected the golden bikini. "Wow, this is not just a cheap plastic copy. It's made of real metal and definitely looks like the work of a skilled blacksmith to me. And can you see these hints of green patina here? That means it's probably quite old. Do you think it may have belonged to your birth mother?"

"Uh, I think I _really_ don't want to know that…" The Blue Ninja hastily put _both_ outfits back in the wardrobe.

"Okay, and _I_ think we have enough anyway." Nya commented.

Jay followed her eyes. He gulped when he noticed the rather large pile of outfits covering the whole super king size bed.

"Now, where do we start?" The black-haired girl asked, while walking back into the bedroom. "What about this one?" She handed Jay a _Captain America_ outfit.

"What?" He gasped. "I didn't agree to this one. There's no way I'm gonna wear _tights_."

"So what?" Nya wondered. "You've been running around in _pyjama pants_ all over Ninjago for the last five years. And look, these even are a lovely shade of blue." She tried to coax him.

"Not putting them on." Jay crossed his arms.

"Alright, if you don't want to wear tights, we'll put this back and find you an outfit without _any_ pants." She started _slowly_ walking back to the closet. "Now, where did I put that cute little _Robin_ costume again…" Nya mumbled, loud enough to ensure Jay would hear it.

"Gimme those stupid tights and wait downstairs." Suddenly, Jay was very eager to put on the blue, white, and red outfit Nya still had in her hands.

"Why that? Are you planning on putting some of these costumes back without me noticing?"

"Of course not." As much as he wanted, Jay would _never_ dare to do that. "It's just, well, because I am going to change…"

"And? It's not like I haven't seen you without your pants before…"

"No, but this is still a bit different." Jay blushed. "Also, you've asked for a show, I'm gonna give you a show."

His girlfriend stood on her tiptoes to place a quick kiss on the Lightning Master's lips. "Now, _that_ sounds very convincing. Can't wait." She winked at him.

Nya walked down the stairs and refilled her wine glass before sitting down on the sofa.

Shortly after, her boyfriend marched into the living room, proudly holding up his shield. He briefly looked around the room, before he burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Nya enquired.

"Well, I _was_ going to use one of _Captain America_ 's catchphrases, but then, when I came in here, I realised that shouting ' _Avengers Assemble_ ' doesn't make much sense if nobody is actually around to assemble… sorry for ruining the show."

"It was still a good entrance."

"Still, I don't think I'd make a perfect soldier…"

Nya stood up and walked over to her boyfriend. She looked deep into his stunning blue eyes. "You must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man."

Jay swallowed. "I-I promise."

When he came back into the living room, Nya was looking at her phone.

"I thought we said no pictures. And no Chirper." He complained.

"Don't worry. I was just chatting with Kai. As I've told you, us staying here tonight is no problem at all. We just need to be home for our Sunday breakfast and bring some fresh croissants."

"That's all?"

"That's all." Nya confirmed. "Now, let me have a look at you."

"I am so glad that I did not become the Green Ninja. This colour does _not_ suit me at all." Jay stated. The Blue Ninja was wearing green leggings underneath a pair of torn purple pants. The padded green shirt was styled as a bare muscular chest. And while he had covered his auburn hair with a black wig, the pale freckled skin of his face and hands still clashed with the other colours of the outfit. "Seriously, I look like some has puked me out. And this…" He pointed at his padded chest. "…feels really uncomfortable. No idea how Cole manages to train and fight with all those muscles of his…"

"Yeah, you better get changed before _Hulk_ smashes anything…" Nya agreed laughing.

"Nya, do I really need to put on _all_ the costumes that are on the bed?" Jay's voice called to her from the upper floor.

"That was the deal." She replied. "I have kept _my_ part of it, now it's your turn."

There was a short period of silence, before Jay could he heard again.

"C-can you please come out in the main hall, I really don't want to be in this for too long. Or come anywhere near a window where people could look inside. And I don't think I'll be able to walk down the stairs..." He whined.

"Do you want me to come up?" Nya called back.

"No, it's okay." The male ninja appeared at the top of the staircase and Nya immediately realised that she had indeed made a mistake. "Okay, you were right. This outfit was _not_ supposed to go on the pile for you to wear. Sorry about that" She admitted, blushing heavily. "But you should know that you really do look beautiful, _Belle_."

His face sporting an even deeper scarlet colour than hers, Jay clumsily spun around in his elegant yellow ball gown. The sleeveless dress was made of multiple layers of silk organza and hundreds of crystals had been added to both the bodice and the skirt to accentuate the dress and give it its shimmering golden appearance.

A few outfits later **[yes, I have to skip over a few]** , Jay came sliding down the white banister. "Whoohoo." Nya could hear him cheer. This was then followed by the sound of a _thump_ and the exclamation "Ouch!"

Chuckling, Nya walked into the main hall where Jay was just getting up from the floor, awkwardly rubbing his bum. He was donning a purple, sleeveless vest and a pair of cream-coloured baggy pants with a wide red sash.

"Your Magic Carpet let you down, Aladdin?" Nya laughed.

He picked up the red fez that had fallen off and placed it back on his head, before flashing her a bright smile. "Call me Al."

"Okay, Al." Nya handed him the golden lamp that was lying on the floor. "I think you've dropped something."

"Ahem, you can keep that one if you want to. I'm not too fond of those things anymore. Seriously, of all Disney characters, why did you have to pick _Aladdin_?"

"Because the part fits you. And, as you were complaining about wearing _tights_ earlier, you should like these trousers… But it was also to remind us that there's a huge difference between a friendly and funny genie and an evil djinn."

"Ah, Nya. You are so smart. And you're very... punctual.

"Punctual?"

"Uh, beautiful!"

"Nice recovery." She smiled. "You know all this makes me feel a bit like _Barbie_ in _Toy Story 3_ …"

Jay looked offended. "Are you seriously comparing us to some plastic toys?" He asked.

"Well, at least they are some good looking plastic toys…"

"Don't tell me you had a crush on _Ken_ , when you were a little girl…"

Jay noticed the faint blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Okay, I'll be right back." He called, while bolting up the stairs.

Slightly embarrassed, Nya returned to her spot on the sofa where she was soon joined again by her boyfriend. He was wearing red, white and purple striped pyjamas under a royal blue bathrobe with a golden _C_ embroidered on the chest. He sat down next to her and took her hands into his.

Nya started giggling at her boyfriend's antics, but he gave her a serious look. "This is not funny. No one appreciates clothes here, Nya. _No one_." He told her in a sad voice, before both of them burst out into laughter.

"Who is acting like a toy now?" Nya finally asked, trying to catch some air.

"At least I'm a cute toy."

"You most certainly are. So, my cute toy boy, what's gonna be next?"

"You'll see." Jay smirked. He wouldn't admit it openly, but, now that he had gotten over the first embarrassment, he was actually enjoying this. Especially the fact that he made the love of his live laugh.

For his next grand entrance, Jay was dressed in an off-white loose fitting tunic over a pair of sand-coloured pants and tan sueve boots. The outfit was completed by a wide brown leather belt with a rectangular silver buckle and several pouches attached to it.

"Now, this is great, isn't it?" Jay asked, excitedly waving his light blue lightsaber.

"It is." Nya confirmed. "Just, don't get cocky!"

"Should I ever have a daughter, I'm gonna name her Sky." Jay said in a determined voice. "And the Force will be _very_ strong with that one. Uhm..." Jay blushed when he realised that he was talking to his girlfriend about possibly _their_ future child. But anya didn't seem to mind too much.

"That's actually not a bad name." She replied. "And we could ask Skylor to be her godmother, Kai would love that for sure."

Jay smiled fondly at her. "And I love you."

Nya smirked. "I know."

 **[I know that this little conversation was between Leia and Han and not Luke, but I just had to include it.]**

"Nya, would you mind coming up please? I think I could use some help." Jay called to his girlfriend.

"I thought you didn't want me to see you getting changed…"

"Yeah, I've changed my mind. Pleeeaaase." He sounded really desperate, so Nya put her glass on the table and walked up the stairs.

A huge one-eyed minion was stuck in the doorframe of Cliff Gordon's bedroom.

"What happened?" Nya wondered.

"I have no idea. I tried to walk sideways but then I must have turned around and… can you please help me get out of here?"

"Only of you say it." Nya felt slightly guilty for not immediately rushing to his help, but this was just too much fun…

"I've already said 'please'.

"I already said please. Three times." Jay stated.

"I know, but that's not what I meant, _Stuart_."

"Please don't make me do it…"

"You don't have to, if you can get out by yourself."

Jay sighed in defeat. Again. Why did he even try arguing with her? "Banana." He squeaked in a high-pitched voice.

It took Nya almost ten minutes, until she had recovered enough from her laughing fit to help Jay get out of his predicament and his costume.

"Well, that was the last costume anyway. Better get back into my normal clothes." Just in his navy boxers, Jay walked to the side of the bed, where both his regular clothes and the dinner suit from earlier were lying crumpled on the floor.

"Wait." Nya's voice held him back. "I'm not done with you yet."

"Oh, really?" Jay turned around, a light blush on his face. "Care to share your plans with me?" He winked at her.

"Well, before we get to _that_ , there is one more outfit I want to see on you tonight." This time, Nya took his hand and pulled him back downstairs. She moved the golden trophy secret door and led him into Cliff Gordon's secret make-up room.

"This one." She pointed at Jay's old ZX gi. "Let's see if it still fits you."

"Hey, what is that supposed to mean?" Jay tried (but failed) to sound offended.

"Oh, c'mon. It's been almost five years. We've _all_ changed. And you've definitely put on a lot more muscle since then."

Using his Spinjitsu, Jay quickly put on the outfit. When he stopped, Nya looked at him in awe.

"Wow." She muttered. "Why did we ever decide to change our suits?"

"I don't know. It just… happened." Jay replied. "But this one really brings back some good memories. Like my True Potential and such…"

"Yes, it was on our very first date. A lot has happened since, huh?"

"Yes, but I will never forget what you said to me. And... you know, there is actually something I-I've wanted to ask you since the moment I first saw you." Jay stepped closer to her, placing his hands on her slim waist.

"And… wha-what would that be?" Nya asked, slightly nervous.

"Do you like blue?" Jay asked, his eyes locked with hers.

Nya broke into a bright, loving smile. And just before pulling him into a passionate kiss, she gave Jay her answer.

"It's my favourite colour."

* * *

 **Thank you for reading!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this second part (I most certainly enjoyed writing it - massive shoutout to Loki for the suggestion!). I have a few more open one-shot requests (and I am working on them!) but I always love to get new ones!**

 **Thanks again.**


	5. Never again

**This one-shot was suggested by** _ **Guest**_ **: Jay's thoughts about Nya and Kai going after the Time Twins. Sorry it took me like forever to get this done - I could have seriously used the Pause and/or Reversal Blade for the past few weeks... And thank you so much for giving me the perfect excuse to re-watch** _ **Hands of Time**_ **(I ended up binge-watching the** _ **whole**_ **season over the weekend XD). Hope you'll enjoy this!**

 **Warning: Contains spoilers for** _ **HoT**_ **.**

* * *

Never again

It was already getting dark, when the Masters of Fire and Water returned to their home. If Nya wasn't so tired, she would certainly enjoy the beautiful vision of the sun going down right below the floating _Temple of Airjitsu_.

She was sitting behind Kai on his Fire Dragon, holding onto his waist and resting her head on his shoulders.

The siblings had spent the day helping their parents settle back into the _Four Weapons_. After staying with their children as well as their old and new friends for a couple of days, Ray and Maya had decided to move back to Ignacia. And although their children had tried to keep the shop in order even during their absence, there were still many things that needed to be done in their old home.

It had been a long and tiring day for the four of them, so Kai, being the ever-caring big brother, had offered to give his younger sister a lift back on his dragon. And Nya, being thoroughly exhausted, had gladly accepted his offer. Creating and controlling an Elemental Dragon – or half an Elemental Fusion Dragon – required a lot of strength that she just didn't have right now.

As they were approaching the floating island, Nya spotted a single figure sitting in the courtyard in front of the temple. He was sitting in a slouched position, looking at the ground, so she couldn't make out his face, but the auburn hair and the blue Ninja gi identified him as the Master of Lightning, her boyfriend Jay.

The Water Ninja smiled. She had called him just before the siblings left their parents' house, to let him know they were on their way. It was kind of cute that he come outside to wait there for their – her – arrival.

Nya called out his name and waved at him from above. Jay looked up and waved back, a small, almost relieved, smile on his face.

As the Fire Dragon was flying low over the courtyard, Nya gracefully jumped off, using her Spinjitsu to break the fall. She stopped right next to the now standing Blue Ninja, who immediately embraced her in a firm hug.

"I am so happy you are home." He mumbled into her black hair.

She pulled back and gave him a surprised look. "C'mon, I was only gone for the day." She told him, giving him a quick peck on his lips. "But I've missed you too."

"Yes, even one day is still a way too long time without you. And then there's also the dangerous journey… I was glad to see that Kai took you home on his dragon tonight."

Nya wriggled herself out of her boyfriend's arms. "What's that supposed to mean?" She asked in a _very_ annoyed tone. Over the past few days, Jay had started to become more protective of her than Kai had _ever_ been. "I am more than capable of flying myself. As _you_ of all should know." The Water Ninja reminded the Lightning Master of that time when she saved him by piloting _their_ Hybrid Dragon. "I was just tired, we had a long, exhausting day." She grasped his hand. "C'mon, let's go to bed."

But Jay didn't move. "Are you alright?" Nya enquired.

"I-I'm sorry, I really don't doubt your skills, I just don't like to see you riding that… _thing_ , okay?" He told her.

Nya eyed him suspiciously. "What _thing_? Don't tell me you are talking about Kai and I's Fusion Dragon?"

Jay nodded. "I can't stand seeing you on it."

"So, that's what this is all about. You think _our_ fusion dragon is less special now that my brother and I can create one as well?" She snapped at him. "And don't you think that I've noticed that you've been acting weird, ever since mum and dad returned. You have always had your wonderful parents around, so don't act like a jealous brat when _I_ want to spend some time with _mine_ now. That does not make you less important to me. And, by the way, _they_ would love to spend time with my boyfriend and get to know him better. But _you_ 've done nothing but avoiding them, whereas even Dareth and Ronin helped us move their old equipment from the swamp to the blacksmith shop. Why can't you just be happy for us?" Jay could see angry tears glistening in her eyes. "You know what? I am going to _my_ room now. And I'd suggest that you sleep in _yours_ tonight." She turned on the spot and started walking towards the temple.

"Nya, wait." Jay called after his girlfriend. "It-it's not like you think. Please, let me explain."

Nya stopped, but she kept looking away from him. "Alright, but you'd better have a good explanation."

"I-I am happy for you, I really am." Jay started, his voice shaking. "And I know that you, Kai, and your parents have so much to catch up on." He slowly walked towards her. "And, well, as for your dragon… I would _never_ doubt your abilities. You are the only elemental master, dead or alive, who has managed to successfully combine their powers with not one but _two_ opposing elements. You have no idea how proud I am of you. It's just… whenever I see your parents or your and Kai's Fusion Dragon, it all reminds me of what happened. And of what _could_ have happened…"

* * *

 _Flashback / Jay's POV_

" _What? Can this get any harder?" I yell._

 _Lloyd, Cole and I are on the ground, fighting what feels like millions of Vermillions, while Zane, Cyrus and our new ally Samurai 2.0 – I still think that's a really smart nickname I came up with. But I really need to find out their true identity before this question drives me crazy! – are up on the scaffold surrounding the Iron Doom, having to enter 'just a few hundred more digits' of the secret backdoor self-destruct code into the Time Apparatus. I mean, I've always admired Cyrus Borg, but this 1300-digit sequence was not one of his brightest ideas…_

 _Especially as this means the three of us need to keep these pesky snakes busy for a bit longer. I just wish Nya and Kai were here to support us. Okay, mainly Nya…_

" _Oh, you didn't just ask that, did you?" Cole complains, rudely snapping me out of my thoughts about my amazingly wonderful girlfriend. "You've just totally jinxed us." Of course, my best friend_ has _to be Mr Negative Thinking again._

" _C'mon. that's not how life works." I try to cheer him up._

 _Unfortunately, at that very moment the roof of the Vermillion Dome opens and a flying ship with the Time Twins and their Commanders on board appears over us._

 _Argh, I hate it when Cole is right. And this is also a teeny bit embarrassing. Right now, I'm rather glad that Nya is not here. "Not saying another word." I mutter._

 _The ship slowly descends into the dome. As it passes the level with the control panel, Krux and Acronix jump onto the platform, shouting something I can't understand from my current position. All of a sudden, the Vermillions drop their swords and start moving into the direction of the Iron Doom. Hehe, just like slithering lemmings… but why are they doing this? What exactly is going on here?_

" _Why did they stop fighting?" Lloyd asks._

" _What's going on?" Cole wonders._

 _Thanks guys, I was thinking exactly the same, BUT I COULDN'T SAY IT!_

" _And so, Operation Return and Repeat begins." Raggmunk says. Ooh, I have to admit that's a pretty good name they got there…_

" _Good name, too." Blunck remarks. Seriously? Can everyone here suddenly read my mind?_

 _Lloyd, Cole and I can only watch from below as Krux and Acronix freeze our friends with the Pause Blade and then arm the Iron Doom with the_ complete _set of Time Blades. Hey, how did they get the Reversal Blade, we've never felt that one appearing?_

 _But no one else seems to have noticed this and I am_ really _struggling to keep my mouth shut about it. But if I speak now, Cole will never let me hear the end of it._

 _But when the Hands of Time push our frozen friends off the structure, that's it. I can't hold it in any longer._

" _Nooooo." I scream. "Yeah, I talked." I give Cole the 'Alright, you won.' look, but that really doesn't matter right now, we have to save our friends. "C'mon."_

" _Ninja-gooo." Lloyd, Cole and I use our Airjitsu to catch them mid-air. Unfortunately, Zane's Titanium body is really heavy and I don't have enough strength to carry him up again, so we have to settle for landing safely on the ground._

 _This is what the Time Twins must have counted on. By the time, we have caught our breath, the Iron Doom is already at its full power. It creates a Time Vortex - ugh, I can't look, this spiralling thingy makes me feel dizzy! - and gets ready to take off._

 _Nope, this is not looking good at all (and that means a lot coming from me). I mean, we've had our share of desperate situations and somehow always managed to come out on top. But if we can't stop this thing HERE and especially NOW, then Krux and Acronix can travel wherever – or rather whenever - they want to. Oh, this reminds me of a funny video game I used to play on this ancient computer my parents found in the junk – Where in Time is Carmen Sandiego? it was called. I am wondering if they still have that machine…_

 _Focus, Jay, focus. This is_ not _a game. The is no save option and there will be no replay. Well, at least not for us, because the only ones who have that power are those two bad guys we are fighting! And_

 _who knows what they are going to do with it?_

 _I remember what Sensei Wu once told us: If you change anything, you change everything._ _ **[Yes, he already said that in Wrong Time, Wrong Place!]**_

 _So, if Krux and Acronix succeed, there could be no more computers and video games at all. And… there might even be no more_ us _. Which would also mean that I will never get to see my Nya again._

 _Nya…_

 _Dang it, where is Nya?_

 _I haven't seen her since we all split up earlier. Kai and her have just taken off, the FSM knows where to. But apparently NOT to find Krux and Acronix like they were told to do, for those two are here with us now. Ugh, we really are the worst team ever. Lloyd keeps trying to lead us and make us work together, and all we do is make fun of our 'temporary Master in training'. I swear, if we somehow get out of this situation, I will fully respect him as our leader. Although my parents have always told me not to swear, it's a sign of weak verbal skills._

 _But… what is that?_

 _We all watch in awe as a two-headed dragon dives down straight into Vermillion Warrior Central. Wow, this creature is stunning. It looks so majestic and powerful. It looks like… Fire and Water combined._

 _I take a closer look at the people sitting on its back. And indeed, it is Kai and Nya who are flying it. Wow. This dragon really_ is _Fire and Water. But… How is that even possible? I mean, no matter how you twist and turn it, fire and water will_ never _mix. And that just makes their achievement even more impressing._

 _And they well know it. Kai is wearing his usual smirk, that little show-off! But Nya... I've never seen her look so strong. So confident. So beautiful. And, most of all, so happy. I am wondering where they were and what has happened to them._

 _Sensei Wu is with them. He looks… well… let's just say he looks less good. I hope there is still a way to save him! And then, there are two more people at the back, a man and a woman. I don't think I've seen them before, although they do look kinda familiar, but I can't really put a finger on it now. I'll find out later – if there is a later. Right now, I need to focus my attention back on the Water Ninja in front._

 _The dragon is still descending. And the closer it gets, the more I can feel the power of positive thinking return to me._

 _Even though the Iron Doom is now slowly approaching the Time Vortex, I know it's gonna be alright._

 _No matter what will happen next, our team is back together now. The love of my life is here now. And together, we_ will _find a way to save the day…_

 _But then, everything just happens so fast._

 _When the dragon has almost reached the ground, the woman suddenly jumps off, holding tight onto the man. And the very next moment, this stupid_ monster _takes off again and follows the Iron Doom to, well,_ when _ever it goes._

" _Nya." I call, my eyes still fixed on that now closed point in the sky._

 _The others are talking, but I can't see or hear anything what is happening around me._

 _All I think is._

 _I have lost her._

 _Again._

* * *

Nya looked at Jay in shock, in the twighlight she could see the tears streaming down his face.

"N-Nya, I am so proud of what you and Kai have achieved." He stammered. "Y-you've saved Ninjago. You've saved all of _us_. I mean, the-they were going to destroy our parents, so neither of us would be here without you… And I would never ever underestimate your strength. You are a lot stronger than me. And in your very own way even stronger than Cole – please don't tell him I've said that. But that doesn't mean I don't want to protect you. I am way too scared of losing you. I have already lost you far too many times. The Dark Matter. The Perfect Match Machine. The Tiger Widow Venom. And now the Time Vortex. I can't happen again."

Nya suddenly realised that they were standing at the very same spot on the courtyard where she had died in the other timeline. The same spot where Jay had sat earlier and waited for her to come home.

She took his hands into hers and looked him in the eyes. "I-I never knew you felt that way." She said softly. "But think positive. No matter what has happened, I've _always_ come back to you."

"I know. B-but every time, it breaks another piece of my heart. I love y-you so m-much and I just don't think I c-can go through this pain even j-just one more time." He sobbed.

The Water Ninja gently placed her hands on her boyfriend's face and, using her thumbs, tried to wipe the tears off his freckled cheeks. She looked into his glistening blue eyes.

"Jay Walker. I love you too. More than you can imagine." She said in a serious voice. "And I promise you here and now. You will _never_ ever lose me again."

* * *

 **I have to say that I was very tempted to extend this story to the 'Jay meets Ray and Maya' part, but that would have deviated from both the request _and_ the plot that was shown on the show. Maybe, I'll still do that later…**

* * *

 **And here's the detailed list of Jay's costumes from the previous story:**

 **\- The dinner suit Jay wears in the first part is based off Daniel Craig's outfit in Casino Royale**

 **\- Fritz Donnegan, but he also used Buzz Lightyear's catchphrase (from Toy Story)**

 **\- Loki specifically asked to NOT use Robin's outfit from the Lego Batman Movie XD  
**

 **\- Captain America was requested by MNC (in the very first draft, parts of that scene were written for Superman, but I think it worked out even better this way)**

 **\- The Hulk (Bruce Banner) was a suggestion from WillowJulien. Btw, Jay's comment about the costume's colour is exactly how I feel when I try wearing something green…**

 **\- Belle from Beauty and the Beast. FanOfJay's request was a princess, and for some reason I immediately had to think of this one. No idea why.  
**

 **\- Aladdin. For me. And for several reasons:**

 **1) It's one of my favourite Disney Movies (maybe even THE favourite one).**

 **2) I think the role fits Jay very well. If I had more time, I'd love to write a Ninjago adaptation!**

 **3) Yeah, there's obviously the Skybound reference.**

 **\- Ken from TS3. It was technically not a request, but I need to give credit to Loki for the idea. And this is where I got the story title from: I went on YouTube to watch the clip of Ken's Fashion Show, just to get the outfit description and the words right (we have the DVD at home but I was too lazy to look for it) and the video was called Ken's Closet.**

 **\- Luke Skywalker was suggested by BeatitudeGirl. I was really, really happy about the request, because I wanted to use one Star Wars character and just couldn't decide which one…**

 **\- Stuart from Despicable Me/Minions. I needed to have one 'bulky' cartoon character costume that would get stuck; it was a tight decision between him (or a different minion) and Spongebob. I went for this one because, well, banana!**

 **\- Jay's ZX gi. From the first moment I started working on this story, I knew that it would have to end with this one!**


	6. Meeting the Parents

**Guest: Thank you for your review, I am glad you liked the result! Thanks again for the idea.**

 **This one-shot was suggested by** ** _Light and Thunder_** **(I know I am doing the requests out of order, but it's simply a matter of having the right ideas for them – I definitely haven't forgotten about the other ones!).**

 **I've made up the bits about Jay's birth parents, so these are NOT canon. His birth mother's name is going around on Twitter and such, so it might be the real one (or not). Obviously set after** ** _Hands of Time_** **.**

* * *

Meeting the Parents (times two)

 _Wednesday afternoon_

"Okay, I'll ask them, no problem. I'm sure they're gonna love the idea." Nya sat at the kitchen counter, a steaming mug of coffee in front of her and the phone at her ear. "Love you too. Bye."

She put the phone down and rested her head on the countertop.

Kai, who was just passing by the open door, saw her. "Are you alright?" He asked in a concerned voice.

"I was just on the phone with mum and dad..." Nya told him.

"Is there anything wrong with them?" Her brother sounded even more worried now.

"No, no, they are fine." Nya quickly reassured him. "They've just invited us to come over on Sunday for lunch and then spend the afternoon with them."

"Sounds great." Kai replied. "Ugh, but I've already arranged to meet Skylor in town..."

"They were actually not asking about _us_. They want to see me and Jay..."

"They really like their future son-in-law, huh?" Kai grinned.

After a slightly rocky start – it had taken Ray a while to accept that his three-year old 'baby girl' was now a young woman in a committed relationship, and Jay to stop blushing and stammering every time he met the blacksmith couple – Jay and their parents were now getting along very well, especially after Ray and Maya had discovered that Nya was dating the biological son of their old friends.

The Water Ninja didn't even react to Kai's teasing words. "... and his parents." She continued.

Kai burst out laughing. "Mum and dad want to meet Edna and Ed?" He laughed. "Oh, that's gonna be great. Maybe I can still cancel my date with Skylor. Or, even better, bring her as well."

"Kaiiiii." Nya whined. "This is not funny. What if they don't get along? What if they hate each other? Or, even worse, love each other and start exchanging embarrassing childhood stories... or what if..."

"Shhh." Kai pulled her in a firm hug. "Don't worry. Everything's gonna be fine." He told her, gently rubbing her back, just as he would always do, when he needed to comfort his upset little sister. And, again as always, Nya immediately started to calm down.

"I would have expected this kind of reaction from Jay, but not from you." Kai said. "You really want this to work out, huh?"

Nya nodded. "I do."

"And I am sure mum and dad do as well. They just want to meet the people who play an important role in your life. Because they care about you."

"I-I guess you are right..."

"Of course, I am." Kai stated, letting go of her. "Are you feeling better now?"

"I am." Nya smiled at him. "Thanks, Kai. You're the best."

"And so are you, sis."

"Well, I've promised mum and dad to ask the Walkers about Sunday and then call them back. So, I'd better tell Jay. Do you know where he is?"

"Hmm, let me think. Where could your techie boyfriend be...?"

"If you put it that way, he must be either in the workshop or in the game room. Probably the game room."

"He is." Kai confirmed. "I'm just coming from there. And I'm actually going right back with you."

Nya raised an eyebrow. "Why that?"

"Because I need to record Jay's reaction when you tell him..."

* * *

 _Sunday late morning_

"Do we really have to do this now?" Jay asked his girlfriend, nervously fiddling with the buttons of his light blue shirt. "Can't we just go to... ugh, dunno, _anywhere_ else?"

"No, we can't." Nya stated firmly. "Everything's been arranged, and everyone's looking forward to this meeting."

"Not _everyone_..."

"Stop whining, it's gonna be fun." Nya would _never_ admit how agitated she had been – and actually still was – herself. "Besides, you wouldn't want them to meet each other without us, would you?"

"Ugh, no."

"Then, let's go. We don't want to be late."

"Alright." Jay sighed. "By the way, how are we getting there? Shall we take the motorbikes?"

"Maybe better use our dragons. My mum doesn't like me riding the bike without a helmet."

"But she's fine with you riding a _dragon_?" Jay was surprised.

"Yeah, that is a bit strange, I know." Nya admitted. She smiled. "But it's just so nice having my mum around to tell me what I should do and what I shouldn't..."

"Believe me, you will stop appreciating it after a while. But I don't mind going by dragon. Do you maybe want to fly our hybrid dragon, then I can take the flowers for your mum?"

"Sounds good to me. C'mon."

Together, they conjured their elemental water and lightning dragon and Nya skilfully piloted it to Ignacia and landed right in front of the _Four Weapons_ blacksmith shop. Her parents came outside to greet them, just as they were dispelling the dragon.

Maya embraced her daughter. "Welcome home, sweetheart, I've missed you. Oh my, have you grown again?"

"Mum, I was here just last weekend. And I've stopped growing almost two years ago..."

"I still can't believe what a beautiful and strong young woman you've become." She then turned her attention to the young man next to Nya. "No wonder that you have found such a nice and handsome boyfriend. Jay, it's great to see you." He, too, was pulled into a tight hug.

Jay blushed. "Th-thank you. Good to see you too. Uhm, these are for you..." He handed Maya the bouquet of fire lilies.

"Oh, how pretty. Thank you." She smiled at Jay. "We are really looking forward to finally meeting your parents. Aren't we, Ray?"

"Yes, we sure are." Her husband replied, albeit a bit less excited than his wife. He then also got to embrace his daughter and her boyfriend.

"My parents should be here in a few minutes." Jay said. "I spoke to my mum just before we left the temple and they were already on their way."

"Excellent. Lunch will be very fast. We have prepared everything and just need to put the fish on the grill when your parents are here." Maya replied. "But maybe you would like something to drink after the flight?"

Nya and Jay nodded. "Yes, some water would be nice, please."

"No problem, sure we have plenty of _that_." Maya laughed. "Now, let's get inside while we wait."

She and Ray then led their guests into their house. Before they followed her parents, Nya gave Jay a quick peck on the lips. "Relax. They love you and they will love your parents" She encouraged him - and herself.

"And I love you." He kissed her back. Jay chuckled. "And I am so glad to see that your mum is nervous, too."

Nya laughed. "I know. But don't forget that all this 'family life' is still pretty new to them..."

Just a few minutes later, the familiar sound of the Walkers' jalopy could be heard from outside.

"I think we need new front suspensions, Edna. That was a bit of a bumpy ride." Ed was telling his wife, as the others came out of the house. "Will you take a note for me, sugarplum?"

"Of course, Ed." His wife replied. "Pixi, please take a note to replace the front suspensions." She said to her phone.

"Hi Mum, hi Dad." Jay waved to his parents. "Glad you've made it here safely." And he was very relieved that he could not spot any photo albums or keepsakes from his early childhood in the car.

"Oh, look, there's Jay. And Nya. And this must be her parents." Edna excitedly jumped out of the car and embraced both her son and his girlfriend at the same time.

"Jay, Nya. How are you? It's been a few days, so let me have a look at you..." She pulled away. "Nya, you seem to become even more beautiful every time I see you." She kissed the younger woman's cheek.

"Thanks, Edna." Nya blushed. "You're looking great yourself. And you too, Ed."

Edna was wearing a flowery blouse over a plain black skirt, while her husband was dressed in brown cord trousers and a blue – and to Jay's big surprise _not_ oil-stained for once – shirt.

"Oh, thank you, sweetie. Have you heard that, Ed?" Edna called to her husband. "Nya also thinks you look nice." She shook her head. "Oh, you wouldn't believe how long it took me to get him to wear this instead of his grubby blue overall."

She then directed her attention to her son. "But you are looking a bit pale, honey. Are you not feeling well? Nya, is he not eating his vegetables?"

Jay groaned. "Mum, I am fine. Really. And you haven't come here to talk about my vegetables, right?" He gestured towards Maya and Ray who were expectantly standing in front on the blacksmith shop.

"Oh, of course." She grabbed Ed's hand and pulled him towards the building and the two people in front of his.

"It's so nice to finally meet you." She greeted them. "Jay has told us so much about you. We were so sorry to hear what that horrible man did to you. Separating you from your children, I cannot imagine that... But what a wonderful surprise it must have been for Kai and Nya when they finally found you. And for you, of course."

"Yes, it was." Maya smiled at the Walkers. "And the pleasure is all ours. Please come in."

Soon, all six were seated around the _chabudai_ and enjoying their lunch, grilled _teriyaki_ salmon with rice and pickled cucumber salad.

"What a lovely place you have." Edna remarked. "And it's so tidy."

"Thank you. Yes, the children took good care of it, while we were... away." Maya replied.

"Did you make all these weapons yourself?" Ed enquired.

"Yes, Maya and I made most of them, but a few were also done by Kai and Nya." Ray explained. "And there are still plenty of _Vermillion_ helmets and weapons back at the swamp..."

The elderly inventor's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Oh, if you need to get rid of any scrap metal..."

"Ed, darling." His wife reminded him. "This isn't a business meeting. This is about Jay and Nya."

"Ah, as always, you are right, my sugarplum. I don't know what I would do without you. And that's why I married you."

"We actually would be glad to get rid of those things, we will never be able to use up all that metal ourselves." Ray replied happily. "But yes, we'd better discuss this at another time." He added after receiving a stern look from his wife.

Edna took the phone from her pocket. "Pixi, please take a note to arrange a meeting with Mr and Mrs Smith." She said.

"Oh, please call me Ray." "And I am Maya." Ed and Edna introduced themselves as well, and the four older adults shook hands again.

Jay raised an eyebrow. "Since when do you have a smartphone, Mum?" He asked.

"Oh, this isn't just an ordinary smartphone, sweetie. This is the new _BorgPhone 8.5_. Mr Borg himself gave them to us, to say thank you after you kids saved him from those nasty snake people. Your father took his one apart **[that's what my dad normally does lol]** , but we wouldn't need more than one anyway."

"Yes, we got some as well." Ray told them. "And a _BorgBook_ , _BorgWatch_ , and _BorgTV_. Mr Borg said we need to catch up on all his latest developments..." Maya added.

"How come _we_ didn't get those things?" Jay whispered to Nya, as their parents were excitedly talking about their new gadgets.

"No idea." Was her reply. "Maybe we should just ask him, he's been a bit forgetful lately..." She smiled. "This is going great so far, isn't it?"

"Yes, let's hope it stays that way." Jay agreed.

"Oh, and do you know what the best thing is about this?" Edna asked at that very moment. "Ed has used some components from the other phone to build a photo scanner, and now we have all the pictures of our boy on this little thing and can take them with us wherever we go."

"Oh, I would love to see them." Maya exclaimed.

Jay face palmed. "Great, we've totally jinxed it... again."

After finishing their lunch and clearing up the table, the two families sat down again. Ed and Ray discussed the quality of different metal alloys, and Edna and Maya looked at the Walkers' _BorgPhone_ , gushing over Jay's baby pictures.

Nya and Jay awkwardly sat between the two groups, without saying a single word and taking great interest in the pattern of the Smiths' _tatami_ mats.

"And this is Jay's first potty time." Edna proudly announced. "He wouldn't go anywhere without his Mr Cuddlywoomp, not even _there_."

"Aww, this is sooo cute." Maya replied. "I think we have almost the same photo of Nya, she also took Sparky with her. I'll be back in a second." She stood up and walked into the next room. She reappeared after a few minutes, holding an old photo album as well as a shoebox with cards and unsorted pictures in her hands. "Sorry it took me a bit longer, we are still getting used again to where everything is in this house." She placed the album on the table and flipped through the pages.

"Let's see. Nya sucking her toes, Nya's first time having carrots – ugh, that was a mess! – Nya asleep in her high chair, Nya playing with her baby tool set... ah, here we are." She pointed at a picture showing a small girl on a sea blue potty. Her black hair was done in two cute pigtails, she was clutching a little dragon plushie and smiled brightly at the camera.

"This is one of the last pictures we got to take of our baby, before we were taken by Krux." Ray explained, smiling fondly at his daughter. "And look at her now..."

"Yes, we were very lucky that Kai and Nya took such great care of each other." Maya added.

Jay perked up his ears when he heard his girlfriend's brother's name being mentioned.

"Uhm, speaking of Kai, you don't happen to have a similar picture of _him_ , do you?" He asked. Nya placed a hand to her mouth, trying to suppress a giggle.

"Oh, of course we do. Here." Her mother handed him the album.

"Wow, even as a little child, Kai already had the same hairstyle." Jay remarked. _And if he ever makes fun of me again, I'll remind him of his fire truck potty..._

"Yes, he was actually born that way." Maya laughed. "See this one."

"Unfortunately, we have no pictures of Jay as a newborn." Edna said in a sad voice.

"Actually, _we_ might have one..." Maya remembered and started looking through the content of the shoebox.

"When we and the other Elemental Masters all settled down and had our own families, we weren't as close as we used to be. But we would still send each other Christmas Cards." She chuckled. "And quite a lot of Birth Announcements..."

Maya pulled out a baby blue card and handed it to Jay. "You can keep this one if you want." She told him.

Jay looked at the picture on the card. It was a professionally taken photo showing a small family. Despite lacking his signature moustache, the blue Ninja could easily recognise one of the persons on the picture as his childhood hero and birth father. Cliff Gordon had his arm wrapped around a beautiful young woman with long wavy blonde hair and electric blue eyes. Between them, they were holding a sleeping infant. The baby had a few auburn wisps of hair on his head and was wearing a blue all-in-one with a cute bunny motif.

Nya put her arm around her boyfriend's back and snuggled into his side while gently rubbing his arm in a comforting way. "Wow, I can't believe how tiny you were..." She said softly. "Look at those little fingers..."

The Lightning Master passed the card on to his mother. Edna put on her reading glasses to take a close look at the photo. "Aww, what a lovely family. They all look so happy – and proud. I-I really don't understand why they would give him up just a few weeks later..." The elderly woman wiped a small tear from her eyes.

The room fell silent.

Jay swallowed hard. Ever since he had found out that he had been adopted, Jay had been asking himself this question and dreading the answer. But he would probably have to face the truth at some point. "D-do y-you know w-why they d-did it?" He finally asked in a shaking voice.

"We've only heard about it second hand, so unfortunately, we don't know all the details." Maya started. "Apparently, your parents were very worried about something and, in order to keep you safe, were planning on hiding you in some kind of remote location. Of course, they wouldn't tell anyone where that was. And when Libby disappeared shortly afterwards, Cliff cut off all contacts with the _Elemental Alliance_..."

"We never found out what exactly happened... but we are sure that your parents didn't _want_ to give you up." Her husband added.

Jay gave them a weak smile. "Thank you." He said.

"You're welcome." Maya smiled back. "And we are so happy to see that they found such wonderful adoptive parents for you."

* * *

A rather eventless (except for Ray proudly demonstrating the results of Kai and Nya's first blacksmithing attempts and Maya tripping while carrying the homemade gateau) and very pleasant afternoon passed very quickly and soon it was time for Nya, Jay and his parents to leave.

"It was lovely meeting you." Maya told the Walkers. "We should definitely do this again."

"Ah, that would be very nice indeed." Edna agreed. "Why don't you come visit us at the junkyard? We couldn't bring any of Jay's early inventions in the car today, so we can show them to you next time."

"That sounds great. I'll see if I can find those pictures I told you about by then. You know, the ones Nya drew as a glitter-obsessed toddler."

"And maybe we can discuss our 'business arrangements' then?" Ed suggested and Ray nodded eagerly in reply. "By the way, my Edna makes the best crumb pie in all of Ninjago."

"Aww, thanks. But you're just saying that, Ed..."

"No, it's a simple fact, my sugarplum." Mr Walker stated firmly, planting a loving kiss on his wife's cheek.

"Alright, I'll put up a doodle poll to find a suitable day." Edna told he others, waving her smartphone. She then addressed her son. "Do you kinds want to come as well?"

"Wha-what d-do you mean?" Jay stammered. The two Ninja were quite surprised that their parent were actually planning this without them.

"Oh, you don't _have_ to come if you're too busy saving Ninjago or something like that, we'll manage just as well without you." Maya explained.

"Uhm, sure. We'll see how _busy_ we are..." Nya told her mother, before turning towards Jay. "And we thought that them _not_ getting along with each other would be the worst that could happen today..." She complained, although still wearing a happy little smile on her face.

Embarrassing or not, in the end they _all_ were part of her family now.


	7. The Princess and the Warrior (AU)

**This one-shot is for _Willow Julien_** **who has requested a Jaya story set in her** _ **Warriors**_ **AU.**

 **If you have read her** **books :** **The beginning of this story is set between "True Warriors" and "Stronger Together", i.e. before Willow's funeral, but will continue into the first chapter of the second book. I have made up (or rather extended) Jay and Nya's backstories, so they may be slightly different to the ones in WJ's books. It didn't say in the main story where Willow's funeral took place, so I have placed it in the Middle Realm instead of the North.**

 **If you have not read them ,** **it should still be possible to follow this one-shot (I hope!). Just to give you some background information on the setting etc. (Willow, please correct me if I say anything wrong!): Ninjago is like a medieval country, its three realms are ruled by Zane's parents (Northern Realm), Kai and Nya's parents (Southern Realm), and the Garmadon family (Middle Realm). Five warriors were chosen to protect the country: the four 'original' Ninja plus Willow (OC) who is Zane's sister and Lloyd's lover. At the end of the first book ("True Warriors") Willow is killed during the fight with the Overlord. This story takes place during her funeral.**

 **Disclaimer: Ninjago belongs to LEGO, the Hageman Brothers, and WarnerBros. The setting and OCs belong to _Willow Julien_** **. I only own the plot of this story.**

* * *

The Princess and the Warrior (AU)

"Mind if I join you?" The unexpected question almost made Jay jump. Luckily, it only _almost_ did, as he was sitting on the roof of the highest tower of the grand Garmadon Castle.

Jay was both surprised and annoyed. This location was certainly not a place where one would normally expect to meet other people. Nor was it a place where the blue warrior would go if he actually _wanted_ to have company.

Jay looked up and found his teammate Kai standing next to him, dressed in his signature red colours and wearing a friendly smile on his tanned face.

He _did_ mind, but he didn't want to get into any trouble with the hot-headed Southern nobleman.

"No, not at all," He therefore lied, gesturing around. "There's enough space here for both of us." The roof would have been big enough for their _whole_ team, but, having just lost one of them, they would never be able to try that even if they wanted to. Which probably wasn't the case anyway.

"Thanks." Kai sat down right next to his teammate, for this side of the roof provided the best view over the lands, with the magnificent Birchwood Forest to their left and Ninjago City, the Middle Realm's capital, to the right.

"So, whatcha doin' up here?" The red warrior enquired.

"Uhm, nothing actually." Jay admitted, feeling an embarrassed blush creep onto his freckled face. "I-I just like it up here. You know, ever since I was a kid I've always felt most comfortable being out in the open air and as high up as possible. It just makes me feel… I dunno… free." The former thief chuckled sadly. "This must sound strange, coming from a guy who, just a few weeks ago, would always sneak around in shady places and was more likely to end up down there in the dungeon than anywhere else… anyway, what are _you_ doing up here?" He asked, eager to switch topics before he would reveal more of his inner thoughts and feelings.

"Oh, I was just searching for a place with a good view over the area. My parents and my little sister are coming for the funeral tomorrow and they should be arriving soon. I can't wait to see them, it's been a few weeks."

A few weeks – that felt like nothing to Jay… The nineteen-year old hadn't seen his own parents in almost four years now. And he doubted that he would ever get to see them again. He would constantly remind himself that his mum and dad were a lot better off without this disappointment of a son that he was. But that didn't change anything about the fact that he still missed them dearly.

At least he knew that they were doing alright financially. One of Jay's former _business partners_ did regular business trips to the _Sea of Sands_. And he would always make a little detour to the _Walkers' Workshop_ and buy some of Jay's father's inventions for him, charging a small fee for that 'favour' of course.

Jay still had some of his savings left. After the funeral, he should probably head to Stiix, a small town near the border to the Southern Realm, and give the money to that greedy bastard Ronin for his next trip to his parents. And after that, he would have to find a proper job.

Just being a hero might work alright for the wealthy sons and daughters of the country's rulers, but it didn't pay the bills for the likes of Jay or Cole. But under no circumstances would the former thief want to go back to his previous 'occupation'. When he and his team were fighting against the Overlord to save Ninjago, it had felt really good. It had felt _right_.

Despite his history, Jay was a good guy. And suddenly, s _omeone_ had decided to give him a second chance in life, and he was going to use it. If only he knew how…

"You're coming, right?" Kai's question snapped Jay from his thoughts. He hadn't paid attention to what his friend had talked about.

"Huh?" He asked. "S-sorry, I-I wasn't paying attention…"

"Yeah, I got that much. Are you alright? You are normally never that quiet…"

"I-I am fine, don't worry. What were you talking about again?"

"I was just asking if you are coming to the reception in honour of my family tonight?"

Jay hesitated. "I-I don't think so…"

"Why not? I am sure Willlow would want us to enjoy the evening, despite what happened. The last few days have been tough, and tomorrow will be even harder for all of us. And my parents would really love to meet the other warriors who have helped to save our home."

"But I don't think they would want to meet _me_. You know what I did before I was chosen to become one of the warriors. And I…" Jay swallowed. "…I already met your parents, about four years ago and not under the best circumstances."

Kai was surprised. "You did?"

"Well, I am originally from the Southern Realm, the _Sea of Sands_ to be precise."

"I've always thought that you have a familiar accent. I probably should have asked…"

"I didn't want you to." Jay interrupted him. "That's why I've never kept my mouth shut. If you constantly joke and talk about random stuff, no one will ever think of asking you any _real_ questions… anyway, you deserve to know the truth in this matter. My parents run a little workshop in the desert. It's going quite alright, but I've always had higher hopes than spending my life in the middle of nowhere. When I was fourteen, I moved to Ignacia and tried to find a job in the Southern capital. But although I was a pretty good engineer - thanks to my parents - no one would hire me. I only got a few small jobs, like working as a delivery boy, but that was about it. I should have just gone home, but I was way too ashamed to admit that I had failed. So I joined a gang of street kids and started thieving. Turned out, I was quite good at it and it went really well for a while. I could even send some money back to my parents, keep up the pretend that I had a proper job at one of the workshops in town. But then, I got cocky. Made a bet with a few of the other guys to steal a couple of things from the palace. Even a few personal items from the Royal Family. Long story short, I made a very stupid mistake and got caught by one of your parents' guards." He shuddered. "It was a samurai warrior, probably the scariest fighter I've ever met. Well, apart from the Overlord."

Kai grinned. "I think I know who you are talking about…"

"He was about twice my size and three times as strong, you _must_ know him." Jay recounted his memories. "Anyway, I was taken to court and your father, Lord Ray, banished me from the Southern Realm. I came to Ninjago City four years ago, all on my own at the age of fifteen, and never got caught again." He looked rather proud of this achievement. "But no, I really don't think your parents would want to see me tonight. Don't worry I will still come to the funeral tomorrow, I owe that to Willow and to Lloyd."

Kai scrutinised the former thief. "You know, despite your young age my father could have easily sentenced to death or at least banished you from all _three_ realms of Ninago. But he didn't. That means he must have seen something in you. And you have changed, haven't you?"

Jay nodded silently.

"Then you _should_ come." Kai stated firmly. "My father deserves to know that he was right about putting some trust in you."

"I-I'll think about it."

"Great." Kai replied.

Jay didn't respond, so the two young men silently sat next to each other for some time, with the warm afternoon sun on their backs.

Soon, the Southern ruler's carriage came into their view. It was accompanied by five mounted guards adorned in the Southern Realms signature red colours.

"Oh, there they are." Kai exclaimed. "I'll see you later then?"

"Sure..."

Without awaiting the other's reply, he got up and climbed down from the roof. Jay watched him appear at the castle gate a few minutes later, just as the carriage approached the entrance as well.

The guard at the front of the train raised their hand, indicating the procession to stop. They jumped off their horse and ran towards the Warrior of Fire, taking off their helmet in the process.

Jay gasped in surprise. The Southern head guard was a very pretty young woman with short raven hair. "Kaiii." Even up here, Jay could her excited call.

When they reached each other, Kai embraced her tightly, lifting her off the ground and twirling them both around.

Jay was slightly surprised. Kai had never mentioned having a sweetheart at home. But Jay couldn't really complain about the lack of information, not having revealed much about himself before either.

Witnessing their happiness, the auburn-haired man could feel a small pang of jealousy, But, Jay kept telling himself that didn't _need_ anyone. He didn't _want_ to love anyone, especially having seen what it had done to Lloyd. The young prince of the Middle Realm had completely broken down after losing the love of his life.

No, this was certainly _not_ something Jay wanted to experience for himself.

* * *

In the evening, the warrior of Lightning sat on his bed, in the small room he shared with Cole. Over the past weeks, the warrior of Earth had become the closest to a best friend Jay had _ever_ had. He was wondering if his roommate would mind if the stayed together after the funeral. Before Cole had been imprisoned by the Skypirates, the black-haired man had been a rather successful performer; maybe he could use an assistant?

Cole himself was just getting ready for the reception. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"No, I am not feeling well." Jay lied. He _was_ going to tell his friend the truth another time, just not today.

But before Cole could leave their room, there was a knock on the door.

Jay opened and found himself face to face with the female guard he had seen earlier. Instead of her guard armour, she was now wearing a crimson red silk dress. But the back mounted katana as well as the dagger holster on her belt indicated that she was still on duty.

"Are you Sir Jay and Sir Cole?" She asked. "Kai has asked me to escort you to the reception."

"It's j-just Jay." He blushed. "We…uhm…we are almost ready, I-I'll just need to change."

"Alright, _just_ Jay, I will wait for you outside your room." She replied with a friendly smile.

"Looks like you're feeling better now…" Cole commented with a smirk.

The two young man followed the guard to the grand hall, where the reception in honour of Lord Ray and Lady Maya was held. Kai was waiting for them at the doors.

"That wasn't fair play." Jay whispered to him.

"I know." Kai grinned. "I just wanted to make sure you would come as you have promised. And my sister can be _very_ convincing."

Jay felt a strange wave of relief when he heard that this was Kai's sister and _not_ his lover. He took another glimpse at the Southern princess, she looked a lot different to how he remembered her. The last time he had seen her, she had been a cute fourteen-year old girl; now Lady Nya was a beautiful, strong young woman of eighteen years.

They entered the grand hall and were greeted by their hosts, Lord Garmadon and his wife Misako. Their son Lloyd was not attending the event, he obviously didn't feel like celebrating, even if it was for one night.

Zane and his family were present, much to Jay's surprise. They had arrived two nights prior but had been busy preparing their fallen daughter's funeral, so Jay had not met the Northern Lord and Lady yet.

He walked over to the white Warrior and embraced him in a comforting hug. Zane then introduced him and Cole to his parents Lord Julien and Lady Faith, his younger sister Wisp, as well as Willow's closest friends from Icenwood, her hometown.

But eventually, Jay _had_ to meet the guests of honour. While Cole was already talking to Lord Ray and Lady Maya, Jay first took a cup of water, before he slowly made his way towards them, his eyes firmly fixed on the ground.

"And this, father, is Jay Walker, the blue warrior of Lightning." Kai announced. "And my friend."

The Lord carefully eyed the auburn-haired man. "Jay Walker?" He said contemplatively. "I have once encountered a thief by that name. But…" He smiled at Jay. "…that must have been a different person. Am I right, Mr Walker?"

Jay lifted his head and smiled back. "Yes, Lord Ray." He confirmed in a surprisingly firm voice. "I can assure you that _that_ person is no longer around."

* * *

On the next day, however, there were no smiles. It was the day of Willow's funeral, and her loss was weighing down on them all. Even the sun wasn't shining today, and the sky was covered in the colours of the grey Warrior.

After they had paid their tributes to their fallen teammate, Jay needed to get outside. He was desperate to be on his own and out in the open air.

Dressed in his ceremonial robes, he wouldn't even try to climb up the tower, so simply went for a walk in the beautiful gardens surrounding the Garmadon Castle. One of the most striking features of the gardens was the _Golden Dragon Fountain_ , which illustrated the famous Ninjagian **[I still don't know if this is the correct form XD…]** legend of the _Final Battle_ between Good and Evil.

As Jay approached the fountain, he saw another person already sitting on its edge. Slowly walking closer, he soon recognised her as Lady Nya, Kai's sister and the Northern head guard. But today, she was wearing a long black lace dress instead of her uniform. Jay noticed that the slim outfit perfectly accentuated her petite curves, yet it made her look like a very delicate young woman, rather than the strong and confident soldier he had met the day before.

Nya had her body and face turned away from him, she was watching the water fall down from the dragon's mouth.

Jay felt like he was invading her privacy. But secretly sneaking away was something he had done too much in his previous life. So, he carefully approached her.

"L-Lady Nya." He gently addressed the woman.

Nya turned towards him and Jay could see that she had been crying, making him even more uncomfortable. He had _never_ seen a woman cry before and didn't really know what to do or say to comfort her. After all, he felt like crying himself.

"M-may I join you?" He asked shyly.

Nya nodded weakly in reply, and Jay took a seat next to her on the fountain edge.

"Are-are you alright?" As soon as the words left his mouth, the blue Warrior mentally slapped himself. What a stupid question that was. She was crying. Of course, she was _not_ alright. In fact, neither of them was.

"I…" Nya's voice broke and she started sobbing. Jay gently put his arms around her and pulled her into a comforting hug. He just held her as she cried into his chest. The auburn-haired man could detect a faint scent of coconut in her hair, and he suddenly felt his heart pounding fiercely in his chest. Jay blushed. There was no way Nya would _not_ feel that as well but, strangely enough, it seemed to soothe her.

Nya soon fell silent and Jay was wondering if she might have fallen asleep. He carefully pulled back and looked at her. The young woman's short raven was slightly tousled and her chocolate brown eyes were wide open and bloodstained from crying. Despite not wearing any make-up – which was probably a good thing as it would probably have smudged by now – she had perfectly smooth, slightly tanned, skin.

Watching her from the distance the previous afternoon, he had thought that Nya was very pretty. But being this close to her, Jay found her to be the most beautiful person he had ever seen, even in the miserable state she was currently in.

"Would you like to go back? It is getting quite cold." He asked, when he could see her shiver.

She nodded. "Yes, please."

He stood up and offered her a hand. Nya gladly took it. She was still trembling, so she slightly leaned onto her escort.

Jay would have offered to carry her, but he was worried that it would be considered as inappropriate behaviour towards a Lady. Also, he wasn't sure if he would actually be able to do so. The Warrior of Lightning was not the strongest fighter, his (rather limited) skills in battle were based on his speed and agility. Nya most likely had more muscles that he did. Therefore, Jay decided to simply put his arm around her waist and support her walking.

He escorted her to the entrance to the south wing, where the noble families were staying. He bowed his head. "Goodnight, Lady Nya."

"Goodnight, _just_ _Jay_." She gave him a weak smile. "And thank you."

* * *

He couldn't explain why, but Jay returned to the garden the next afternoon. He took the same paths and he eventually reached the Dragon Fountain from the same direction. And he found the same person sitting in the same spot as on the day before.

But today, Nya did not have her back turned towards him. She was looking ahead and, when she saw him approaching, wore a _real_ smile on her face. Jay noticed that she looked a lot stronger. And the light blue dress definitely suited her a lot better than black, making her look even more beautiful, if that was possible.

The blue warrior bowed his head to greet the princess.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked, offering his arm. Not that she would _need_ it today. Nya still took it.

"I was hoping to see you here. I wanted to thank you for… helping me yesterday. And I appreciate you not telling my family that I broke down in front of a total stranger."

"N-no problem. And I'm not a _total_ stranger." Jay replied. "I mean, I am your brother's teammate. That should make me maybe just a partial stranger, right?"

Nya laughed. "Well, maybe you could tell me a bit about yourself, then we wouldn't be strangers at all?" She suggested.

"Alright." Jay agreed, much to his own surprise. "But then I want to know more about you as well. For example, how did you know Willow?" He asked.

Nya's face fell, when he mentioned the name of her late friend. "Well, we've know each other since we were very young. The three families ruling Ninjago would have very regularly meetings, to discuss political affairs and such. And our parents would like for me and Zane to get married, so they would arrange frequent visits between our families. And then later, Willow and I trained together at the guards' academy, that's where we became really close friends. And we kept up that friendship even after returning home."

Jay felt bad for reminding her of their loss and making her upset. "I've heard about the academy, Sensei Dareth is supposed to be a great teacher. I bet you would have made a much better warrior than me." He tried to cheer her up. "I harldy know what I'm doing and I still keep hurting myself when I try to use my weapon…"

"Yes, but you were _chosen_ to be one of Ninjago's protectors, which means it is _your_ destiny. To be honest, I was a bit jealous at first when my friend and my brother became two of Ninjago's protector, but I now understand that my own duty is to guard my home. Even as a young girl, before I joined the academy, I used to sneak out, dressed in a way too big samurai armour, and hunt down the criminals that were roaming the streets of Igancia."

"Y-you were the samurai?" Jay blushed.

Nya smirked. "Embarrassed that you got beaten up by a fourteen-year old girl?"

"I-I was only fifteen back then myself. And without any training at all." Jay defended himself. "B-but how did you know?" He was wondering if Kai had told her what Jay had said about, well, her?

"Your eyes." She replied. "When I came to your room, I thought that you looked somehow familiar, but I only fully recognised you when my father mentioned your name."

"I am sorry." Jay looked down in shame.

"It's alright." Nya said. "Sure, I was quite upset about the necklace you stole from my room. But, as one of my teachers has always told me, the past is the past. You've said it yourself that you are not the same person anymore." Jay lifted his gaze, so she was looking straight into his deep blue eyes. "And you've meant it, haven't you?"

"I have." He confirmed. "Thank you, My Lady."

"Now that you have learned about my little secret, I want to know more about you, both the person you were and the person you are now." She requested.

The couple kept walking, and Jay started to narrate the story of his life.

Over the next two days, they would meet in the park and continue their conversation whenever their busy schedules allowed it. And for the first time in years, Jay felt comfortable talking about himself.

He told her _everything_. About his parents, his protected childhood, his adventures in the streets of Ignacia, his stupid mistake that resulted in him getting arrested by the 'monstrous samurai', and his life in the Middle Realm. Even his worries about his uncertain future.

He had given his last savings to Nya, so that she would send it to his parents after her return to Ignacia.

In return, Nya talked about her life as the daughter of the Southern ruler. The princess had been educated the same way as her brother. Since her early childhood, she had been trained to become a fighter. And she even was a highly skilled blacksmith.

But in the end, she was still a noblewoman. And she was supposed to be married to a nobleman.

As the couple returned to the palace on the third afternoon, their hands entwined, Nya's father was waiting for them at the stairs.

"Nya, we have been looking for you everywhere." He told his daughter in a firm voice. "As you know we are leaving tomorrow morning. We and Lord Julien and Lady Faith have agreed that tonight's dinner would be a good opportunity to announce our plans for your and Zane's upcoming wedding. But there are a still few things that need to be agreed on beforehand. Please see your mother at our chambers. In the meantime, Lord Garmadon, Lord Julien, and I would like to have a word with Mr Walker."

"Yes, father." Nya let go of Jay's hand and disappeared into the castle.

* * *

"Mind if I join you?" The unexpected question almost made Jay jump in surprise. Luckily, it only _almost_ did, as he was sitting on the roof of the highest tower of the grand Garmadon Castle.

Unlike the other days, Jay actually wouldn't mind company, but he doubted that he would ever see _her_ again, unless at some official and very formal occasions.

But when he looked up, he found Nya standing by his side, wearing her red guard uniform and smiling at him.

Jay smiled back. "No, not at all," he replied in all honesty. "But how did you find me?"

"My brother." Nya said, sitting down next to the blue Warrior. "We are leaving in an hour. I was waiting for you in the park to say goodbye, but you didn't come. And then Kai told me that I might find you here. And I... I missed you at the dinner last night."

"Yeah, sorry about that. I wasn't feeling too well." This time, it was even the truth, Jay had been rather miserable all evening. He gave her a forced smile. "Tell me. How did it go? When is the wedding going to be? Congratulations, by the way."

"Oh, there will be no wedding. At least not for _us_." Nya told him. "Zane and I spoke for quite a long time before the dinner. Turned out he wanted this no more than I did, and he even admitted that he is sweet for another girl. While she isn't a noblewoman, she is from a good family in Ignacia, so he hopes that his parents will approve of her. Especially as their union should also strengthen the bond between the Northern and Southern Realms."

"So, you are not disappointed?"

"Me? No." Nya vigorously shook her head. "Zane is a dear friend, but nothing more. And, I don't think I am ready to get married yet."  
"I am sure you will find someone, whenever you are ready. I mean, you are beautiful and strong and smart and kind, one would have to be a fool _not_ to fall in love with you… uhm." Jay could feel his face heat up.

"Thank you." Nya smiled, also wearing light blush on her cheeks. "And I _know_ I will."

She scooted slightly closer to Jay. "But that's not all that that was discussed yesterday. Father wouldn't tell me what he and the other lords talked to you about, but Cole did. I am so happy for both of you."

"Thank you. Yes, it's great that Lord Garmadon is going to formally employ us here at the castle, so that we can receive proper training and even a salary. And Cole and I are going to share a small house on the estate."

"That means… I will see you next time I come here?"

"Yes, unless that happens during the next one or two weeks. Lord Ray, your father has formally pardoned me and revoked the banishment. That mean, I am going to take a few days off to see my parents. Although I doubt that they will be happy to see me…"

"Oh, I am sure they will be ecstatic. From what you have told me, they are wonderful people."

"Yes, but I have caused them a lot of pain and disappointment…"

Nya took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"But they are still your father and mother. Have some faith." She told him. "If _my_ parents have forgiven you, then _yours_ will do so even more. Believe me, they are going to welcome their lost son back with open arms."

"I-I hope you are right."

"So, you need to have your money back, then?" Nya removed the small velvety pouch from her belt.

"Well, if you don't mind, I would still prefer for someone to use it to purchase something from my parents that just _give_ it to them. They are way too proud to accept any kind of charity."

"Of course, I will take good care of it." She smiled. "And when you are in the Southern Realm, are you going to visit some other places as well? Maybe Ignacia"

"Yes, I was thinking of visiting the capital. I had a secret hideout just outside the city and, unless someone else has discovered it, there should still be quite a few valuables in there…"

Nya's face fell. "Oh…"

"Don't worry, I am not planning on making any money with them. I am going to return whatever is left."

"And when you are there, you are more than welcome to visit us. Kai and I can even teach you a few things." She smirked. "Like using your weapon without proving a menace to everyone around, including yourself."

"I-I'd love to. And, some of those items belong to your family, so I'd _have_ to come see your father…"

Jay had never sold the necklace he had stolen from the little princess. He sincerely hoped that it was still safely hidden, so that he could return it to its actual owner.

"And there's also something that _I_ will need to return to _you_." She smiled.

"A-and what would that be?"

"This." Nya leaned towards him and placed a small kiss on his lips.

Before Jay could process what had just happened, Nya had already left her spot beside him. Jay looked down and saw her was elegantly climbing down the tower wall, towards the window.

"You thief." He called, as she was just disappearing inside the building. "I'm definitely going to get that back."

Jay could hear Nya's cheerful laughter. "I'm counting on that." She replied.


	8. Weekend For Four

**This oneshot was another suggestion by LGOE. I have already published the first three parts on wattpad, but I wanted to wait here until I could post the complete story in one go.**

 **Rated T for language and suggestive themes.**

* * *

Weekend for Four

 _Friday late afternoon  
_

"Good evening, and welcome to the Stiix Beach and Spa Resort." The receptionist greeted Jay and Nya with a friendly smile. "How can I be at your service?"

Jay smiled back while reading the name on her name tag. "Good evening, Shelley." He replied politely. "We have a reservation for Gordon, please. Jay Gordon."

"Just a moment, please, Mr Gordon." Shelley looked at her computer, pressing a few keys on the keyboard. "Ah, here we go. The All-Inclusive Weekend Deluxe Package. Excellent choice, Mr Gordon. It's already been paid for in advance, but I would still need to check your credit card, please."

"Of course, here you are." Jay handed her his golden _Ninjago Express_ card.

"Lovely, thanks." The receptionist returned the card after running it through the system. She then placed two card keys on the counter. "These are your room keys. Your suite is on the fifth floor, as requested with a marvellous view of the Endless Ocean. Please use the lifts over there. And you may leave your luggage here, we will arrange for someone to bring up your...ahem…bags for you." She explained, critically inspecting said items. The two old and slightly worn backpacks that Jay and Nya had brought their clothes in – the most convenient solution for travelling on their dragons – obviously were a bit out of place in the luxurious hotel lobby.

"And these are your bookings for your Spa treatments." Shelly continued, handing Jay an envelope. "Breakfast and dinner are served in the main restaurant on the first floor. If you have any further questions, please contact us any time, either down here or by phone." She then flashed them another bright smile. "Thank you very much again, Mr and Mrs Gordon. I hope you will enjoy your stay."

As they walked towards the lift, Nya gave her boyfriend a questioning look. "Mr and Mrs _Gordon_?" She asked.

"I know." Jay sighed, stopping in his tracks. "Believe me, I've mentally apologised to my parents a hundred times already – and I _will_ do it in person in Sunday. But, as you may remember, us 'fruit coloured ninja' still aren't too popular in this area of Ninjago, so I thought it would be better to use a fake name. And by using my birth father's name – and his credit card – I could get _us_ the luxury that _you_ deserve." He wrapped his arms around her slim waist and leaned towards her. "Happy early Birthday, my beautiful water ninja." He whispered in her ear, before moving his lips towards her and capturing them in a deep kiss, right in the middle of the hotel lobby – and blocking the access to the front desk.

"Excuse me. Would you mind getting a room?" An annoyed – and rather familiar sounding – male voice behind them complained. "Shouldn't be too difficult, I mean this is a hotel, after all. Seriously, if I had wanted to see kissing couples, I could have just stayed at home."

"Oh, relax, you hot head." A cheerful female voice laughed. "Everyone's here to have a good time, including us, so I want to hear no more complaints for the next two days, Kai."

 _Kai._ Upon hearing the very familiar name, the Masters of Water and Lightning pulled apart and turned around to face the other couple. And four wide open pairs of eyes looked at each other in shock and surprise.

"Kai?" – "Nya?" – "Skylor?" – "Jay?" The four asked simultaneously. "What are you doing here?"

Kai threw up his hands in annoyance. "Oh, this is just great." He stated sarcastically. "Running into the two of you making out at random places was exactly what I had _not_ in mind for this weekend."

"Oh yeah? Well, hearing you constantly complain about it wasn't exactly on my list of favourite things either." Jay retorted.

"Well, I wouldn't have to complain if you could keep your hands and whatever else off my sister for just five minutes..."

As it went back and forth between the Fire and Lightning Masters, Nya could see a mix of amusement and concern showing on her brother's girlfriend's face.

The former Samurai shrugged her shoulders. "Don't worry." She mouthed, while giving the redhead a little encouraging smile. Nya was used to the boys' bickering, knowing that that it wasn't serious fighting and usually wouldn't last long. And indeed...

"So, what _are_ you doing here?" Jay finally asked, having calmed down. "I thought you and Skylor were going to Chen's Island to look through his old archive and search for some clues about her mother."

"Well, I thought the two of you were going to spend the weekend at your parents and help them tidy up the junkyard... what a lousy son you are." Kai replied, still shooting a small glare at his sister and her boyfriend.

"Don't look at me." Nya appeased her brother. "Even I didn't know about this change in plans. Jay only told me this afternoon when we were packing our staff. This weekend getaway is my surprise birthday present."

"Your birthday isn't until next month..." Kai looked confused.

"Yeah, but who knows it's gonna be until _Master Lloyd_ is going to give us another weekend off, he's almost worse than Sensei Wu..." Jay grinned. "And I am sorry about not telling you. I just... really wanted us to have the weekend to ourselves. So, to make sure nobody would suddenly decide to join us, I said that we were going to spend the weekend working on a junkyard rather than getting pampered at a five star spa resort... oh, by the way, my parents were in this plan. And we are making a detour to visit them on our way back on Sunday."

"I understand. We actually had the same idea." Kai admitted. "Nobody is too keen on going back to Chen's Island." He smirked. "And now I understand your freaking out when Zane wanted to go with you and look for some spare components..."

"Yeah, I almost had to tell him the truth. But luckily, Mr Borg called to do some software upgrades on him this weekend..."

"But still, all of us having the same 'great idea' kinda spoiled it in the end." Kai concluded.

"C'mon, just because it's the four of us here now, doesn't mean we can't enjoy our weekend." Nya stated. "Lot of families go on holidays together. And we don't have to hang out with each other all the time. We'll just... see each other around. Alright?"

"Alright, love." – "Okay, sis." The two male ninja agreed.

"I would really love that, we've never had the chance to get to know each other properly." Skylor beamed at her boyfriend's sister, and the two young women happily embraced each other.

"You still have to check in, right?" Jay whispered to his girlfriend's brother.

"Yes, why?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Can you please make sure that our rooms aren't next to each other?" Jay requested.

Kai gave his sister's boyfriend an understanding smile. "Oh, I _definitely_ will."

* * *

 _Friday evening  
_

About an hour and a refreshing shower later, Jay and Nya entered the hotel's main restaurant. They were both dressed in their common favourite colour – Jay wore a blue button-up shirt with navy trousers, and Nya had chosen a sleeveless light blue lace skater dress that came to just above her knees.

"Good evening, Mr and Mrs Gordon." They were welcomed by the restaurant hostess. "Please allow me to show you your table. Mr and Mrs Chen are already waiting for you?"

Jay and Nya followed her through the restaurant.

"Mr and Mrs _Chen_?" The blue Ninja wondered.

"Yes, they just arrived here, maybe two minutes ago. When they checked in at the hotel earlier today, they told our colleague that you were old friends and former colleagues who they hadn't seen in years, so we took the liberty to arrange a table for the four of you."

"Thank you, that was very considerate of you." Jay replied politely, although not very excitedly.

The hostess led the couple to a more private corner of the restaurant, where they found Kai and Skylor already sitting at a round table tastefully set for four persons.

Kai was dressed in a way quite similar to Jay's, wearing black slacks and a crimson red button-up shirt. Skylor's feminine curves were accentuated in her black velvet sweetheart dress.

Jay and Nya took the two remaining seats and the hostess handed them their menus. A young waiter followed and wordlessly served each of the four friends a glass of champagne.

"A little aperitif to celebrate the reunion between old friends." The hostess explained. "We will give you a few minutes to catch up with each other before we'll take your orders."

"Thank you." Jay replied. He then raised his glass. "To Mr and Mrs Chen, it's so nice to see you again after such a long time." He joked.

"Likewise, Mr and Mrs Gordon." Kai retorted. "I have missed our old friends... damn, this makes me feel really old."

"Me too." Nya laughed. "So, you also chose not to use our real name..." She said to Kai.

Her brother shook his head. "I may not remember it myself, but you told me what the people in Stiix did with those awesome Kai action figures a while ago... not too keen on ending like them."

They continued their conversation throughout the dinner. And although it may not have been planned this way, the two couples very much enjoyed taking their meal together.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" Skylor enquired, as they were having their dessert.

"We'll have some Spa treatments tomorrow morning." Nya told the Master of Ember. "But we have nothing planned for the afternoon, so we're just going to be either at the beach or the pool. What about you? You also booked a Spa package, didn't you?"

"Yes." Skylor nodded. "But our treatments are on Sunday. We are going horse riding on the beach in the morning. And them in the afternoon, we will be at the pool, I am doing a mermaid swimming class."

Nya chuckled. "Was this my brother's idea?"

"What do you mean?" Skylor asked surprised.

"Nya, no." Kai groaned.

"When we were little, he had a little crush on Ariel..." The Water Ninja burst out laughing.

Kai buried his face in his hands. "I hate you."

"No, you don't." Still giggling, Nya patted him on the back. "And in case you are thinking about getting revenge, Jay already knows about Ken..."

"Aww, that's so cute." Skylor cooed. "And if it makes you feel better, I was in love with Woody. Mmh, maybe I should get you a cowboy hat for your birthday..." The redhead's mind drifted off for a short moment, before she cleared her throat.

"Ahem, anyway..." she said, a little blush on her cheeks. "The activity was actually my idea. It's supposed to be great fun. Why don't you join?" She suggested to Nya.

"Yeah, why not. I love all kinds of water activities. At I've never really had a chance to have some girl bonding time with my brother's girlfriend."

"And what about me?" Jay enquired, obviously disappointed that he would get to spend less time with his girlfriend.

"You and Kai can have some guy bonding time."

"Yeah, it's not like we never spend time together."

"No, you don't." Nya stated matter-of-factly.

"What?"

"You train together, you fight together, you play video games together. But the two of you never really hang out just as friends."

Jay still wasn't too convinced of her suggestion. "And what are we supposed to do? Braid each other's hair?"

"You don't touch my hair." Kai chimed in.

"Well, you can just have a drink and talk and such." Nya placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, before she whispered in his ear. "Or you can just watch us if you want."

After dinner, the four elemental masters left the restaurant.

"Shall we have a drink at the bar?" Kai suggested, while they were walking towards the lift

"No, I think we'll go upstairs. We still have that bottle of champagne in our room..." Jay winked at Nya. "It was a gift from the hotel."

"How come you got champagne?" Kai complained. "We only got a complimentary bottle of sparkling water."

"Because they have booked a suite, and we only have a standard room. That was all we could afford." Skylor explained apologetically. "Unfortunately, a restaurant owner who still has to do compensation payments for her father's forced labourers makes less money than a movie star. Which is still more than a ninja, if I may say so."

"Looks like both of us are getting spoiled by our partners this weekend." Nya nudged her brother. "We should remind mum and dad that they owe us fifteen years worth of pocket money..."

"Good idea, sis." The Master of Fire replied. "So, shall we then go to your suite and kill that bottle..."

"Uhm, As much as I enjoy your company, we would like to do that on our own." Jay told his girlfriend's brother. "How about, we'll get you an upgrade, so that the two of you can enjoy your own complimentary champagne in your own suite?"

"Yeah, I get what you mean." Kai smirked. "It was a stupid suggestion, I get that. But we really can't accept your generous offer."

"No, you have already paid for the wine at dinner." Skylor agreed with her boyfriend. "We don't want to have to tell our future nieces and nephews that their aunt and uncle drank away their college funds..."

"Skylor." Jay gave her a serious look. "My father left me a lot of money. So, unless we want to have a whole rugby team, that is very unlikely to happen, no matter what else will happen this weekend. And I still don't feel like I deserve to have it anyway, so... we might as well use it for a 'good cause'. Also..." The Master of Lightning's handsome face suddenly clouded over and he swallowed hard. Nya, who knew what he was going to tell their friend, took his hand and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

"Skylor, you probably have no idea what I am talking about right now." Jay continued. "But believe me when I say that I owe you. _We_ owe you. Big time. So it really would be our honour."

"A-alright then." Skylor hesitantly agreed. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." Nya confirmed, giving her friend a grateful smile. "And I promise that we will explain everything to you at another time, just not today, okay?"

Skylor smiled back. "Sounds good to me."

"It's a deal then." Jay happily sprinted off to the reception desk.

"You really don't have to feel bad for accepting his offer." Nya reassured her brother and friend. "We've also had a few arguments about Jay insisting on spoiling me all the time, but he has explained to me that he just isn't used to having a lot of money, and now suddenly he owns more than he can ever possibly spend, so he just loves to share it with the people he loves. Please don't worry and just enjoy it."

The black-haired girl then hugged her brother and his girlfriend. "We'll see you tomorrow at breakfast. Have a great night."

* * *

 _Saturday morning_

Nya's eyes fluttered open.

It mus be quite late in the day, for the morning sun was already peeking through the blinds, lighting up the unfamiliar surroundings.

It took te young woman a few moments to realise where she was. The young woman turned onto her left side, expecting her boyfriend to be lying next to her, but she found the other side of the double bed to be empty. When she heard cheerful laughter coming from behind her, she rolled over again and saw Jay standing next to her side of the bed, already fully dressed and fondly smiling down at her.

"Good morning sleepyhead." He said. Nya could feel the bed dip as he sat down next to her, before placing a gentle kiss on her bare shoulder.

"Where were you?" She mumbled. "I missed you."

"I don't think so." He chuckled. "You were so fast asleep that you didn't even move when I got up. I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I went for a run along the beach."

Only then Nya noticed that he was wearing his running gear. "But it's our day off, we don't _have_ to train." She complained. "And, how can you be so full of energy that early in the morning, especially after last night..."

"I guess I've had a few more years of _Sunrise Exercise_ than you, so I'm kinda used to waking up early. And you should know by now that, thanks to my element, my energy levels recharge a lot faster than most other people's, including yours."

Nya sat up and stretched her arms. "Yeah, I do. And I guess that means, you're gonna be the one to do the night shifts when we'll have kids." She stated.

"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?" Her boyfriend spluttered, blushing madly and his eyes fixed on the empty champagne bottle on the floor next to the bed. "A-Are y-you trying to tell m-me you-you're ..."

"Don't worry, I am _not_ pregnant." Nya reassured him. "Believe me, otherwise I wouldn't have touched a single drop of alcohol last night."

She gave him a careful smile. "It's just... during our dinner, when Kai and Skylor mentioned future nieces and nephews, I realised that I actually wouldn't mind _if_ that happened. And maybe not too far in the future either... what do you think?"

His mouth agape, Jay looked at her silently for what felt like an eternity – although, in reality, it was not more than a minute.

"I-I think I would like that." He finally answered, smiling back. "I mean, from the moment I first met you I've dreamt of having a family with you one day. But I guess it would be nice if that _one day_ arrived sooner rather than later." He cupped her face with his hands and planted a gentle kiss on her ruby lips. "I love you, Nya Smith. And yes, I would love to have a baby with you."

"I love you too, Jay Walker." She replied, running his hand through his slightly damp auburn locks. "Or, should I call you Mr Gordon this weekend?"

"You can call me whatever you like, Mrs Gordon." He winked at her. "But if we don't want to be late for breakfast with _Mr and Mrs Chen_ , I should better go get a shower now."

As Jay stood up and walked into the small _en-suite_ bathroom. Nya happily snuggled back against her pillow until she could hear her boyfriend's steps in their hotel room again. He had a white bath towel wrapped around his waist and was drying his hair with a second, smaller one. "I really hate to interrupt your pleasant dreams, but you need to get up now as well." He told her. "We are supposed to meet Kai and Skylor in twenty minutes."

"Knowing my brother, they won't be on time either." The Water Ninja remarked, but got up nonetheless. On her way to the shower, however, she walked over to her boyfriend and, standing on her tiptoes, gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Thank you."

"What for?"

"For just everything." She said. "For this weekend, even though it's not my birthday yet. For thinking about our future, even though I don't deserve you. And for never giving up on us, even when I was nothing but a stupid, selfish bitch."

Jay placed his hands on her slim waist, his eyes locking with hers. "We've _all_ made stupid mistakes. And maybe I was just being selfish myself, because I wouldn't have wanted any kind of future without you in it." He told her, before pulling her into a long, deep kiss.

"I-I think we better stop now, otherwise we are going to be late for breakfast _and_ for our spa appointments..." He mumbled when they finally broke apart.

"I am not that hungry anyway, but it would be a real shame to miss those treatments." His girlfriend agreed. "Let's continue to 'work on our future' later, okay?" She winked at him, before she walked into the bathroom and into the shower.

"Ugh, my back is so sore, I can't believe Nya is still able to swim." Jay complained to Kai. The two male Ninja were relaxing in a sun lounger by the pool, while watching their girlfriends at their mermaid swimming session. "I've always thought a massage is supposed to make you feel better..."

"It's completely normal to feel some stiffness or pain after a massage, but it should go away fairly soon." His teammate and friend reassured him. "And don't forget that Nya is the Master of Water. Being in our own element generally benefits our wellbeing."

"Unless you're being used as a human lightning rod..." The Master of Lightning remarked.

"Well, I wasn't there, so you can't blame me." Kai retorted. "And admit it, you were just whining about your neck so you'd have an excuse not to move and make me go to the bar again."

"It's not like you'd have anything better to do at the moment. I still don't understand how someone who is afraid of water chooses to spend a weekend at a spa and beach resort?"

"I am not _afraid_ of water." Kai protested. "Just a little bit uncomfortable when it gets too deep. But it isn't as bad anymore as it used to be. Ever since Nya and I made that fusion dragon and went into the _Boiling Sea_ , I can actually feel some connection to her element as well. And, don't tell anyone, but I've been taking swimming lessons."

"Don't worry, I won't. But only if you get us something to drink now..."

The spiky-haired man stood up and walked to the bar on the other side of the pool. He soon returned with two glasses in his hands. He handed one of the drinks to the blue Ninja. "Cheers." He said. "To a great weekend."

"And to our two beautiful ladies." Jay replied, his eyes fixed on the Master of Water who was elegantly moving through the pool.

"Hey, stop staring at my sister's... uhm... _tail_..." Kai teased his friend.

"I think it's called a fin." Jay corrected him. "But would you rather have me look at your girlfriend's one?"

"Most certainly _not_." Kai feigned to be upset. But then he gave his friend a serious look. "Listen, Jay. I know I have sometimes given you a hard time over being with Nya, but I am actually very happy that the two of you have sorted things out and are back together."

Jay swallowed. He definitely hadn't expected this kind of conversation at this time and place. "Wow, thanks mate." He replied.

"No, I really mean it." Kai insisted. "I haven't seen my little sister this happy in a _very_ long time. And while I don't enjoy _witnessing_ your constant PDA, I am actually fine with _whatever_ the two of you are doing with each other, as long as I don't have to see or hear it."

"Yeah, about that..." Jay started. "I wasn't planning on bringing this up yet, but I might as well get it over with now..." He briefly hesitated, before he spoke again. "Kai, I want to marry your sister."

"What?" Kai, who was just taking a sip from his glass, spluttered. "You-you're joking, are'nt ya? This is just another Jay Walker gut buster, right?"

"No, I am totally serious." The other stated firmly. "I _never_ make any jokes when it comes to your sister. I love Nya, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her. So, what do you think?"  
"Well, it's none of my business. If you want permission to propose to Nya, then you're talking to the wrong Mr Smith." Jay could detect some melancholy in the red Ninja's voice.

"And I am going to talk to your parents before I'll ask her, but I would still like to hear _your_ opinion." He told his friend. "Your approval would still mean a lot to me."

"And you asking me means a lot to me." Kai smiled. "Thanks, bro."

"So, you'd be okay with it?" Jay asked nervously.

Kai nodded. "Yes, I'd be okay with it." He leaned back in his lounger and took another sip from his drink.

"That's it?" His friend was surprised. "You don't have anything else to say about this?"

"No. Why?" Kai retorted. "I've already told you what I think about you and Nya's relationship. And we've been through the whole 'Break her heart and I'll break your neck' stuff so many times before, that I can leave that part to my dad now."

"Oh, great..." Jay mumbled. He and Nya's parents got on quite well, but he still wasn't looking forward to _that_ conversation.

"So, when?" Kai enquired.

"Oh, I don't know yet. I mean, I still need to find an opportunity to talk to Ray and Maya. And I haven't even got a ring yet."

"If you want help picking one for my sister, let me know. You'll have my full support. Also with my parents. But when did you decide that you want to ask her?"

"As you probably know, I've _wanted_ to marry her since that night at the Fire Temple, but I've been thinking about actually _doing_ it for a few weeks now. And we've just started talking about having kids..."

"Wow, I wouldn't have thought that you two are that far yet. But I'm happy for you. And maybe a bit jealous..."

"What do you mean?"

"Because of our different lives, Skylor and I don't get to see each other as we would like. I am really enjoying this weekend, but it also makes me want to send more time with her on a regular basis. And waking up next to a beautiful girl is definitely a lot better than sleeping in a bunkroom with four smelly guys and Cole's snoring."

"Hey." Jay complained. "We're not _that_ bad. But I also think that we are getting too old for the bunkroom. Not that I would spend much time in it anymore anyway... but we probably should talk to Lloyd about _officially_ change our living arrangements. Even if we don't want to touch Sensei Wu's old quarters, we really have more than enough rooms in the Temple of Airjitzu. And while we're not on a mission, we could also use my birth father's house in the City and train at Dareth's dojo. I am sure Zane wouldn't mind being closer to Borg Industries either..."

"Thanks. I appreciate that."

"Well, you've said that you'll help me proposing to Nya, so supporting you and Sky is the least I can do."

The two brothers hugged each other, until...

"Awww." They heard two voices cooing behind them.

They immediately pulled apart and turned around, to find their two girlfriends standing outside the pool and watching them. Caught up in their conversation, the male Ninja hadn't noticed that the swimming class had finished already a while ago.

"Looks like out two fearsome warriors had some nice guy bonding time..." Nya commented, beaming at her brother and boyfriend.

"Yes, we actually did." Jay winked at her.

"Yes, it was very... insightful." Kai agreed. "But as the two of you have made fun of us, we'll have to punish you now." He looked at Jay. "Water fight?"

The blue Ninja nodded. "Boys against girls." He confirmed with a wide grin.

Before the girls could object, Kai scooped up Skylor into his arms and threw her into the water, before diving after her. Jay picked up his girlfriend bridal style and, holding her tightly in his arms, jumped after their friends into the pool.

* * *

 _Sunday morning_

"Ah, this is nice." Nya sighed, as she and her boyfriend were taking a barefoot stroll along the beach. "Just being away from our normal routine – no vilains, no training, no Cole's cooking. And this place is just wonderful. I love feeling the warm sand between my toes."

Jay chuckled. "Oh, you wouldn't say _that_ if you had grown up in the desert… believe me, when you are used to having sand everywhere, it can be pretty annoying." He stopped and wrapped his arms around her waist. "But I agree that this weekend has been wonderful. Just you and I…"

"… and my brother and his girlfriend." Nya added.

"Well, I wasn't too happy at first when they turned up here, but I've actually really enjoyed spending time with them as well." The blue Ninja admitted. "Having breakfast and dinner together with them may have been less romantic but it was good fun. And Kai and I really had some great 'guy bonding time' yesterday afternoon."

"Which means…" Nya smirked.

" _You_ were right, darling. As usual." Jay smiled at her lovingly. "But my favourite parts of the weekend are still those moments I get to spend alone with you. Like now."

He pulled the raven-haired girl closer to him and captured her lips in a gentle kiss.

"Mmh, mine as well." Nya mumbled against his lips, when they eventually broke apart. "We should do this more often."

"I have no problem kissing you all the time." The blue Ninja joked and, as if to prove his point, gave her another quick peck on the lips. "But if you were talking about getting more alone time, I'm afraid you'll have to discuss this with _Master Lloyd_ first."

"Oh, I will. While Ninjago is at peace, we deserve to have more weekends off." Nya stated firmly. "But we could maybe also start by you moving into my room with me. Only if you want to, of course…"

"Yes, I definitely want to." Jay told her. "Kai and I talked about all of us finally getting our own rooms yesterday, we're seriously getting too old for the bunkroom. And most nights I don't sleep in there anyway. But I would absolutely love to _officially_ live with you. Especially if we are going to raise a family together in the future."

"You _really_ want to start trying for a baby?" The Master of Water beamed at her boyfriend.

Jay nodded. "Yes. Even if that means that I'll have to do the night shifts when it happens."

"I love you. And even more so when you are going to do the night shifts."

"I love you, too. And I am more than willing to do _anything_ , if you volunteer to talk to Lloyd about getting weekends off and moving rooms…"

"I can ask him about you moving in with me, but wouldn't it be a bit strange if _I_ suggested that _you_ guys give up the bunkroom?" Nya remarked. "Why don't you and Kai just bring it up during our next team meeting? It was your idea after all, and I am sure Cole and Zane will agree as well." She proposed. "And while we're at talking about Kai's ideas… my brother and I briefly spoke this morning during breakfast, when you and Skylor were busy at the buffet. The two of you have invited the two of us here and we would like to return the favour the next time we get a weekend off, maybe even for my real birthday. Unfortunately, we can't afford going anywhere fancy, so Kai has suggested that we show you and Sky our hometown. I am sure mum and dad would love to have the four of us over. And there's more than enough space at the _Four Weapons_."

The auburn-haired young man cocked an inquisitive eyebrow at her. "It was Kai's idea that _we_ are going to visit your parents?"

"Yes, and he sounded quite excited about doing it as soon as possible… no idea why."

Jay blushed. "I am sure he has his reasons." He mumbled.

"I guess so, but now I want to enjoy the rest of _this_ weekend and not worry about the next one."

"You are right – again. We'll have to check out in about an hour if we want to be at the junkyard for lunch."

"Kai said that he and Skylor are going to stay a bit longer, after having their treatments this morning. Kai is taking her to the City on his dragon, and they are going to eat dinner at the restaurant before he has to come home."

"Do you maybe want to get treat before we head back to the hotel?" Jay pointed at one of the ice cream stands on the seafront.

"Sounds great. But just a small one, we don't want to disappoint your mum and turn up not hungry." Nya smiled. "Let's go."

After stopping by the ice cream stand – and a little argument about Jay's definition of a _small_ ice cream when he ordered two chocolate-dipped cones with three scoops and a 99 flake each – they continued their walk on the beach, with one hand holding the massive ice cream cone, the other hands entwined.

For a while, they didn't speak a word, as they were busy licking the ice cream before it would melt away in the warm summer sun.

* * *

 _Sunday evening_

When Jay and Nya arrived back at the floating island, Kai had just returned at the Temple of Airjitzu on his Fire Dragon as well.

"Kai." Nya waved to her brother from above, while onehandedly piloting the water-lightning-hybrid dragon. Jay had left one backpack containing his dirty laundry at the junkyard, so the two elemental masters could sit behind each other and fly together on the way back.

"Hi Nya. Jay." Kai called back and waited outside for his sister and her boyfriend to land and dispel their dragon, before the three of them entered the building together.

"How is Skylor?" Nya enquired in a loud voice, to ensure their teammates inside would hear their conversation. "I haven't seen her in ages. Did you have a good weekend?"

"Yes, very good." The red Ninja replied, equally loud. "Unfortunately, we didn't make it through all the documents, so I'm afraid we'll have to go back at some time soon."

"What a shame." Nya yelled.

"I know. How was your weekend? I hope Ed and Edna didn't make you work too hard…"

They continued to inform each other about their 'strenuous weekends', until they reached the kitchen, where the rest of their team, minus the black Ninja, were having dinner.

"Welcome home, friends." Zane greeted them. "It is good to have you back. I have heard your conversation and I am very sorry that you had such busy weekends and were not able to relax during your time off."

"Oh, it wasn't that bad…" Nya remarked, nudging her boyfriend who had his hand pressed to his mouth and was struggling hard not to burst out laughing. "At least, it was something different than training. And, we have brought you the components for your hardware upgrade."

"And I have brought noodles for Cole." Kai waved a _Master Chen's_ bag. "Courtesy of _Mistress Chen_."

"Cole isn't back yet." Lloyd explained. "As you know, he went to see his dad for the weekend, he wanted to help Lou and his set up the stage for their concert tour."

"That's very nice of him." Jay commented. "They really have a very close relationship now."

"Yes, but he didn't tell us that the _Royal Blacksmiths_ were performing in Nomthis weekend, by invitation of the mayor himself. We only found out when Zane came back with his software upgrade that gives him instant access to all online newspapers and breaking news. I am sure he had a great time there…"

"Haha, that cheeky bastard." Kai grinned. "How dare he hide this from his brothers… we would _never_ do that."

Nya and Jay shook their heads in agreement. "No, never."

"In that case, we don't have to wait for him." Kai stated. "So, who wants some noodles, then?"

"Me." A booming voice called from the door where the Master of Earth was standing.

"Ah, Cole. How was your weekend?" Kai smirked. "Did you have fun in Nom, maybe with an old friend?"

"Yes, we had _great_ fun." Cole admitted, not even the slightest bit flustered. "She says hi and would like to visit for a weekend anytime soon."

"Sure, why not." Lloyd replied. "But not next weekend, I have already made some other plans…"

Five pairs of eyes curiously peeked at the Green Ninja.

"We've all been through so much recently, and now we even had to work on our weekend off – well, some more than others…" He gave a sharp look at the black Ninja (who was so focused on his noodles that he didn't even notice). "Anyway, mum and I thought that we deserve a little break. Also as a Thank You for supporting me in becoming a Sensei. There is a brand new Spa and Beach Resort just outside of Stiix. It was built as part of the town's Restauration and Image Improvement program. We have booked a spa weekend for the whole team. And partners, if you want. What do you think?"

He expectantly looked at his teammates. While Cole and Zane excitedly agreed to Lloyd and Misako's plan, the other three Ninja looked at each other in shock.

" _I_ think we're so hooped, Mr Chen…" Jay whispered to his brother-in-arms – and hopefully future brother-in-law.

Kai nodded. "And _I_ think you are absolutely right, Mr Gordon."


	9. The Proposal

**Three little comments about this one-shot:**

 **\- A few readers have noticed that, although this book is a collection of one-shots, there is actually some continuity between some (not all!) of the stories. For example, in 'Weekend for Four', Nya made a small remark related to Jay's fashion show from 'Movie Night'. This one-shot will refer to events from both stories, and from my 2016 Jaya Christmas one-shot (but no problem if you haven't read them). And the venue will also play a role in one of the next chapters of my AU story…**

 **\- I guess the proposal theme was quite inevitable after the previous one-shot :D – especially as I got a couple of reader requests to continue from there. Although it's a bit of bad timing, because** _ **BunnyTheNinja**_ **has also just published a lovely Jaya-proposal (if you like Jaya fluff – and you probably do if you are reading this ;) – I would highly recommend reading her one-shots!).**

 **\- Another great request from LGOE!**

* * *

The Proposal

"Can you please land over there?" Jay asked, pointing down at a green area right in the heart of Ninjago City while keeping his other arm tightly wrapped around his girlfriend.

Wearing a short yet very elegant silver grey silk Cheongsam dress that stopped at her thighs, Nya was sitting aside on the dragon rather than astride. And although she has done this on multiple occasions before tonight, even while riding on her own, it gave her boyfriend a good excuse to hold her even closer than he would normally do.

"No problem." Nya replied and instructed their hydroelectric dragon to descend into a small park. When it was almost touching the ground, the Lightning Master let go off her slim waist and jumped off the dragon. He then opened his arms to catch the female Water Ninja, who gracefully slid off the creature's side, before the two elemental masters dispelled it.

"I'm in your arms." Nya winked at him, referring to those famous words she had said to the blue Ninja when they had gone on their very first date. And even after dating for quite a long time, he barely managed to not show the same reaction – a very _unmanly_ squeak – as he had back then.

Instead he tucked a stray strand of her raven black hair behind her ear and planted a gentle kiss on her cheek. "And I'm all yours."

 _And I will be yours forever if you'll have me._ He nervously added in his thoughts.

Wanting to spend their training-free weekend in the City, the six Ninja plus Misako and two 'guests' were staying at Cliff Gordon's villa. After the friends had enjoyed their dinner together at _Master Chen's Noddle House_ , the group had split up for the rest of the Saturday night. Jay and Nya were now going to the cinema to see the director's cut of the new _Return of the Starfarers_ – Cliff Gordon's final movie – which had just been released the week prior. But while to Nya tonight was just a normal date – not that any date with the energetic blue Ninja would _ever_ be ordinary – Jay had planned this to be the evening that was going to change both their lives. Yes, Jason Edward Walker was finally going to propose to the love of his life. And he just hoped that a) he wouldn't blow it, and b) she would accept it.

"I know." Nya smiled and affectionately ruffled his slightly tousled auburn locks. "Just as I am yours."

Jay swallowed hard. "Sh-shall we go now?" He asked, reluctantly letting go of her.

"Sure. Wouldn't want to miss the film, would we?" Nya replied, linking their arms for the short walk to Ninjago's biggest movie theatre, which was located just adjacent to the park.

"Uhm, we need to go _that_ way." Jay told her, pointing in the opposite direction.

"Another Jay surprise?" Nya laughed. "Don't tell me we are _not_ going to the cinema again – not that I didn't enjoy our last movie date, but I was actually really looking forward to the film…"

"Oh, we _are_ going to the cinema, just not to the _NinjaPlex_." Jay explained, as the couple walked around a corner to their actual destination. "Sure, they have bigger and higher resolution screens and better sound systems there, but it's always so busy there on a Saturday evening, and I wanted a bit more privacy."

They came to stop in front of a small, traditional looking cinema with golden pillars flanking the entrance.

"The _Sunset Theatre_ is normally a very popular venue for movie premières." Jay explained, holding open the glass double doors for his girlfriend to enter.

Finding herself inside a historic cinema foyer, Nya looked around in awe. The grand hall had terracotta-coloured walls and a black-and-white-patterned marble floor. Two staircases of the same material on either side led up to the balcony. A young woman with curly red hair was standing next to the walnut wood bar located on their right. She smiled at the couple. "Good evening, Miss Smith and Mr Walker," She handed each of them a glass of champagne. "I hope you will enjoy your evening."

Nya questioningly raised an eyebrow, while taking a sip from her glass. "What's going on here? And… where's the rest of the audience?"

"As I've said I wanted a bit more privacy." Jay blushed. "So, I've simply booked the whole cinema for us tonight."

"I know you love doing this, but you'll have to stop spoiling me." His girlfriend told him. "Wow, I can't believe we have the whole theatre just to ourselves…"

Jay smirked. "Well, for old times' sake, I've invited Cole to join us."

"You did _what_?" Nya exclaimed.

"Nah, I'm just kidding." The blue Ninja grinned.

Nya playfully punched his arm. "That was not even funny," she complained. "It was the worst date I've ever been on. And I still feel horrible for dragging him into this stupid mess back then…"

"I don't think you have to worry about _that_ anymore, he and Sel seem to be really happy together."

"Yes, they make a great couple. But we didn't come here to talk about Cole, did we?"

"No, we didn't." Jay confirmed. "We came here for _us._ And if it really still bothers you, I promise I will never talk about the _Perfect Match_ disaster again."

"Yeah, you better stop that. Otherwise you'll have to sit in a different row and there will be no cuddling during the film, no matter how much privacy we'll have…" Nya teased her boyfriend.

"I definitely wouldn't want to risk that." Jay stated. "Now, where would you like to sit? What about the balcony?"

The raven-haired woman nodded. "Sound great."

After placing their order for drinks and snacks at the bar, the young couple walked up the marble stairs and chose two comfortable red velvet seats – which, to Jay's relief, were next to each other – in the front row.

As soon as they had sat down, the lights were dimmed and the red velvet curtain opened.

Jay put his arm around his girlfriend and she snuggled into his side.

"I love you, Nya." He told her.

"I love you too." She replied.

Although the Master of Lightning was a huge fan of the _Starfarers_ franchise, he found it difficult to keep his attention focused on what was going on on the screen. His mind kept drifting off to what was going to happen afterwards, and from time to time, he couldn't help but take a glimpse at the beauty sitting next to him.

It was very obvious that Nya was enjoying the film. Her eyes were fixed on the screen for most of the time. Only when Fritz Donnegan was being chased by some fierce space villains, she buried her face in her boyfriend's chest, and, wrapping his arms tightly around her until the hero had escaped, his mind was clouded by the familiar and enticing scent of coconut coming from her hair. And hearing her laughter during a particularly funny scene made Jay's heart flutter, just like it always did.

He occasionally took a sip from his delicious cocktail (that had been served during the opening credits), but he avoided the snacks. The blue Ninja was not keen on having any pieces of popcorn stuck between his teeth during his proposal.

The film ended with a close-up shot of Cliff Gordon, and to Jay it almost felt as if his late birth father was looking at him from the screen.

 _I hope you are proud of me, dad._ He thought. _I wish I could have met you. And I wish you could have met Nya. I am sure you would have loved her._

When the two ninja returned to the foyer after the end of the film, they found themselves on their own. Only a new bottle of champagne and two flûtes were sitting on the bar top, waiting just for them. The female bartender who had served them earlier was nowhere to be seen, but the steady stream of fine bubbles rising in their glasses suggested that someone had been around, just until the couple came walking down the stairs.

Jay took the two glasses and handed one of them to his girlfriend. "To you, Miss Smith."

"Thank you, Mr Walker." She took the glass, beaming at him. "To _us_."

Jay took his time taking a small sip from his glass. This was it. He had been planning and preparing this for such a long time, and there was no way he was going to back out now…

He awkwardly cleared his throat. "Uhm, Nya?"

"Yes?"

"Well, speaking of _us_ … you know, there is something I would like to ask you."

"Sure. You know that you can ask me anything. Go ahead." The Master of Water looked expectantly at him.

Jay set both glasses back on the counter and took her hands into his. He took a deep breath.

"Nya, the moment I first met you, I _thought_ that you could be the one for me." He chuckled. "Scratch that, it was even before then. I know this may sound weird, but the first time I only heard your brother mention you, I already _felt_ that you would become an important part of my life. And now, after all we've been through, I _know_ that you are the person I want to spend the rest of my life with…"

Nya smiled. She knew what he was going to ask her, and she couldn't wait to actually hear him say it. However, she just couldn't resist messing with her future fiancé.

"So, I have already asked your father, and your mother, and Kai, of course." In his nervousness, Jay started to ramble. "And I've also talked to my parents and… well, I couldn't ask Wu… but I've spoken to the other guys, and Misako, and Cyrus Borg, and Dareth, and …"

"Did you call the Mayor of Ninjago City?" Nya interrupted him.

"Wha-what?" Jay panicked. "Why didn't anyone tell me I n-needed to ask her… are you sure?"

"I honestly have no idea. You just seemed to have talked to everyone we know…" Nya shrugged her shoulders. "But I am sure she would have agreed to whatever it is that you were going to asked me."

"You-you were making fun of me?" Jay realised.

Trying to look innocent, Nya planted a small kiss on his flushed cheek. "I just couldn't help it, you are just so cute when you get flustered…"

"I am _not_ cute…" The auburn-haired male protested.

"Yes you are." Nya insisted. "Are you seriously going to argue with me about that?"

Jay sighed. "No, I have definitely learned that much over the years with you. And interestingly, that was also the one piece of advice I got from every single person I spoke to, including Ronin. To never get into an argument with you, because I wouldn't win it anyway." He said. "And even if I was right, you would probably still have a 'Jay has to admit that he is wrong' voucher."

"You are damn right about that, my love." The Water Ninja replied with a smirk. "I always keep that booklet in my purse, you never know when you'll need it."

"Well, that is good to know…" The Lightning Master stated. "But back to what I was actually saying… and as it seems that I _have_ managed to ask everybody… what do you think?"

"No." Nya said.

Jay's face fell. Without saying another word, he turned away and lowered his head, as he could feel his eyes welling up with tears. It had all been for nothing. What was going to happen now?

But then he could hear her the clicking of her heels on the marble floor. When she was standing right stood in front of him, Nya gently cupped his face and slowly lifted his chin, until their eyes locked. "No." She repeated, a loving smile on her face. "You haven't asked _everybody_."

Jay mentally slapped himself.

"Great, I am such an idiot." He groaned. "I had everything planned out, only to mess up in the end."

"No, it was my fault. I am sorry, I really shouldn't have interrupted you. Do you want to maybe just start again?"

Jay shook his head. "No, I just want to get it over with…" He bent down on one knee, taking her hands into his. "Nya Smith, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" Nya flung herself at her new finance, having them both fall onto the hard marble floor. "Of course, I will." She hugged him.

"Uhm, I really don't want to complain right now, but this is not the most comfortable place to make out…" Jay carefully said. As they got up from the floor, he rubbed his butt, awkwardly smiling at her. "Ouch, you got me so confused that I even forgot the ring in my pocket…"

He removed a small black velvet box from the back pocket of his dark navy jeans and opened it, revealing a beautiful engagement ring. It was made from platinum, with a diamond centre stone and two pear-shaped sapphire side stones.

Now, Jay could see the tears pooling in Nya's eyes and he pulled her in a tight hug.

"Do-do you like it? Kai helped me choose it, although he wanted to go for rubies instead of sapphires. But I know you like blue, so…"

"I-I love it. And blue will _always_ be my favourite colour." Nya replied, before leaning in and locking their lips in a deep kiss.

"I can't believe how badly I have messed this up, and I am so lucky you've still said yes." Jay laughed, when they pulled apart.

"We have _both_ messed up. And I'm afraid there will be no 'better luck next time'…" His fiancée joined in. "But at least this makes a great story to tell our grandchildren one day."

"There's no way we are going to tell this to anyone, it's too embarrassing."

"Too late." A spiky-haired head appeared from behind the bar. "I have _everything_ on my phone."

"Kai." Nya and Jay exclaimed simultaneously. "What the heck are you doing here?"

"When you let other people use your laptop, you should not leave your important emails open." Kai told his future brother-in-law. "When I saw the booking confirmation, I was sure that you were going to ask her tonight. And after helping you so much, you couldn't expect us to miss it."

"Us?"

"Hi." Skylor's head appeared as well, her scarlet hair slightly messed up. "Congratulations, you two. And for the record, you were right about the floor not being the most comfortable place for making out."

Her boyfriend jumped over the counter and hugged his sister. "Congratulations, sis. I am very happy for you." He then proceeded to embrace the Master of Lightning. "Congrats, Jay." He smirked "I can't say 'well done', but you got there in the end, that's the main thing. And I know you will make my little sister very happy."

"Thanks, bro." The blue Ninja replied. "And you know that I'll be more than happy to help you to do better…" He added in a low voice, so that the Master of Amber couldn't hear it.

"Yeah, I might get back to you about that…" Kai glanced at his girlfriend, who was just admiring Nya's ring, before he looked at his watch.

"So, what about we head back to your place now?" He suggested. "We kinda estimated the schedule for your cinema date, so everyone else should also be on their way back to the villa by now."

"You told the others as well?" Jay gasped. _Yeah, s_ _o much for having any privacy with this team…_

"Of course, I did." Kai shrugged. "When you said that you were going to watch the new _Starfarers_ movie tonight, Lloyd wanted to go with you, and we couldn't have that. Then I needed Cole and Seliel to buy – don't worry, not to make! – a cake. And Zane has hopefully cracked the code for your father's wine cellar, we have something to celebrate…" He grinned. "And I am sure they are all excited to see the little video I've just recorded..."

* * *

 **I currently still have these four open requests, and I would love to get some feedback which of them people would most be interested in reading:**

 **\- Can you do one where nya formaly tells cole that shes chosen jay and cole just shrugs and says it alright cuz hes been dating zane for a while? (The Night Ninja)**

 **-You could do a boring shopping trip, can still be fluffy, Jay can have a full on tantrum because Nya won't let him buy his favourite ice cream or snacks. (EchoZane)**

 **\- Do you think you could something like the two of them pulling a bunch of pranks on everyone, and trying not to let the others know it was them (In the temple, so Yang informs at least Cole.) (TheAmberShadow)**

 **\- Jay and nya accidentally fuse together how will the ninja and others react when they see the newly formed jaya and will jayband nys want to stay fused (Deadpool)**


	10. Apologies

**Thank you so much for all the amazing reviews for the previous chapter :)! And also for commenting on the open story requests.**

 **This one-shot kinda continues from the previous one. No, not the wedding (yet). I got the idea when we were in the car, and the song 'Baby can I hold you' (by Tracy Chapman) played on the radio. I think that, after a fight, Jay would usually be the one to apologise and take the blame, so even after dating for a long time, Nya would still find it hard to do that herself (although I have made her apologise for the stupid love triangle mess a couple of times in my stories!).**

* * *

Apologies

It was already dark when Kai returned to the _Temple of Airjitzu,_ after spending a very nice and very _relaxing_ afternoon with his girlfriend in Ninjago City. He would have loved to stay away for longer from the currently very tense atmosphere at the flating temple, but unfortunately, Skylor needed to work tonight, and the red Ninja had promised his sister to help write the place cards for her and Jay's wedding dinner.

Yes, after what _felt_ like years of planning and preparation, there were only two more days until the Masters of Water and Lightning were finally getting married – and literally everybody (even including the bodiless Sensei Yang) at the Ninja's headquarters was stressed out about it.

When Kai entered their monastery, he found it to be surprisingly quiet. Usually, the _happy couple_ was in the sitting room, arguing passionately over some small – and in everyone else's opinion insignificant – details for their forthcoming nuptials.

As much as he loved his little sister, Kai couldn't deny the fact that over the past few days, Nya had turned into a proper bridezilla, having horrible mood swings and either blowing up or bursting into tears (or both at the same time) whenever something wouldn't go _her_ way.

Slightly worried about the unusual silence, he carefully peeked into the room and found the raven-haired female sitting at the table, all on her own and resting her head on her arms. Nya was obviously crying, for Kai could see her muscular shoulders shaking.

He carefully approached his younger sibling and sat down on the chair next to her. "Hey, sis. What's the matter?" He enquired, gently rubbing her back. "Where's Jay?"

Nya raised her head, and Kai noticed once again how pale and tired his sister looked.

"I don't know, and I don't care." She muttered. "The wedding's off."

Kai embraced her in a tight hug, as she started sobbing again. They silently remained like this for a few minutes, until Nya had calmed down a bit.

"What happened?" Kai finally asked.

"We-we've had a fight." Nya replied meekly.

"Yeah, I've guessed that much..." Kai remarked.

"We were discussing the seating plan for the dinner." Nya explained. Her brother sighed. Of course, it had to be the stupid seating plan _again_.

While neither of them had a big family, Nya and Jay had invited many friends from all over Ninjago, including their fellow Elemental Masters, representatives from four of the five Serpentine tribes, and many more. And they had been 'discussing', i.e. arguing, about who to place next to whom at which table for the last three evenings.

"As you may have noticed," Nya began, and Kai nodded in confirmation, "we were having some trouble with this. So, Jay had Zane and PIXAL run a simulation to predict the perfect arrangement. But their solution means we need to have twelve slightly smaller tables instead of ten bigger ones. So Jay, Cole, and Lloyd have spent the afternoon at the venue, moving tables."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "And where's the problem about that?"

"He just did it without thinking or talking to me first. We've only got flowers for ten tables."

"So, what? Can't you just order more? I am sure dad won't mind."

Being a very traditional man, Ray had insisted on paying for his daughter's wedding. Luckily, they had found out that, after the blacksmith couple's disappearance, Wu had invested some of their savings in upcoming businesses, so that Ray and Maya were now shareholders of, among others, _Doomsday Comix_ and _Borg Industries_.

"It's a bit too late for that now... the florist had to order the hydrangeas weeks ago."

One of the few items that Nya and Jay had immediately agreed upon was to have a blue wedding, so the bridesmaids' dresses as well as all decorations and flowers - except for Nya's bouquet which was made entirely of red roses – were in different shades of their shared favourite colour.

"If the tables are smaller, can't they just make the flower arrangements smaller as well?" The Master of Fire suggested.

" _Just make them smaller_?" Nya snapped at him. "Do you have any idea how much time I-we spent to design the centrepieces with the florist? Or do you even care about me and my wedding at all?"

Kai could see her eyes welling up with tears again. "Sis, you know how much I care about you. And how happy I am for you and Jay" He told her. "But the Nya I know doesn't blow up or cry that easily. And especially not over flower arrangements..."

"I know, this is so unlike me..." Nya sobbed. "And I don't understand what's going on with me at the moment..."

"I think you simply need a break from all that weddings planning." Her brother suggested, supporting her as they walked to the kitchen. "And you haven't eaten much all week."

"I-I just couldn't get anything down. It's been so busy, and everything hurts _._ It almost feels like _all_ my body functions have been messed up..."

While Nya sat down at the kitchen counter, Kai took a carton of milk from the fridge and poured it into two glasses. He placed them, together with a pack of chocolate chip cookies, on the counter top and took a seat opposite his sister.

"Thanks." Nya gave him a small smile. "I am actually starving."

"Nya, you need to relax. Otherwise, you won't make it until Saturday. I am sure Jay just wanted to keep some of the planning stress away from you. And regardless of how much you stress yourself, there will _always_ be things that go wrong." Kai said, while the siblings were enjoying their milk and cookies. "People might still have to cancel at the very last minute, or the bride on the cake won't look like you because the Water Ninja figurines have sold out..."

"What?" Nya shrieked.

Kai mentally face-palmed. "Oh, what I was going to say is that this _might_ happen." He quickly corrected himself. "And Zane and I are doing our best to sort this out... But even if it did happen, it shouldn't matter. This will be _your_ day, and _you_ should enjoy it. Forget about the flowers and the cake. In the end, all it needs for this wedding to happen is you and Jay and the priest." He told her. "And your big brother, of course, so don't even think of eloping, okay?"

Nya gave him a weak smile. "Don't worry, I won't. I wouldn't want to get married without you and dad walking me down the aisle. But... I _do_ want to get married."

"And you will." Kai reassured her.

"But... I've been so horrible to Jay. Well, I've been horrible to everyone..." Nya looked down in embarrassment.

"I can't contradict you, but I am sure everyone will forgive you. And sooner or later, Jay will come and ask you to forgive him."

"What do you mean?" Nya gave him a questioning look. "Why should he apologise to me if I'm the one to blame?"

"Because that's what he always does." Kai said. "Whenever the two of you fight, he is usually the one who makes the first step to reconciliation..."

"Nya." An upset voice interrupted Kai's explanation.

The siblings turned their heads to see Jay standing in the door. He looked just as miserable as his fiancée, and his red eyes made it very obvious that he had cried as well.

"I am so sorry, I shouldn't have made any decision without talking to you first. And without thinking about the consequences. Zane and Lloyd are on their way to the hotel now, to move the tables back to how they were."

Nya looked at her future she saw it.

Kai was right. Every time they argued, Jay would afterwards offer her an apology – and an easy way out of their argument, without losing her face. And Nya would always accept it.

She knew that Jay loved her so much that he would do _anything_ to make her happy. And apparently that even included taking the blame for something he hadn't done.

But... this was not right. And she couldn't expect him to keep doing this forever. She would have to swallow her pride if she wanted to make their marriage work.

Nya stood up and walked over to the love of her life. She took his hands into hers and glanced into his beautiful deep blue eyes, that at this moment were glistening with tears.

"No, it was not your fault. It-it was _mine_." She admitted. "I shouldn't have blown up, when you just wanted to help. This is _our_ wedding – if you still want to marry me, that is. Not that I would deserve it after how I've acted these past few days. I don't understand why I've been so sensitive lately..." She swallowed. "I-I am sorry."

Nya was surprised to find that saying these three words was not as hard as she had thought. It actually felt good.

Jay wordlessly pulled her in a hug. She wrapped her arms around his torso. "Forgive me." She mumbled into his chest.

"I do." He said into her hair. "Let's try to make it through Saturday without another fight, deal?"

"Deal." Nya confirmed. She looked up. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Jay planted a chaste (after all, her brother was still watching them) kiss on her lips. "C'mon, let's go to bed, we can write those place cards tomorrow."

"But first we should call Cole and Lloyd to tell them that they don't have to change the tables again."

"But, what about the flower arrangements?"

Nya shrugged her shoulders. " _We_ can find a solution tomorrow. After all, they are _just flowers_." She smiled.


	11. Before the Wedding

**I have decided to continue this existing storyline until the wedding, before I will start to work on any other ideas for this book.**

 **Thank you so much for the kind comments on the previous chapter. I found it very hard to put my favourite couple through a stupid fight, so it was really nice to get some positive feedback. (And this chapter should hopefully make up for the lack of fluffiness.)**

 **But there was a deeper reason behind Nya's behaviour, and while I was worried that I had made it too obvious, there was only one person who made the right guess ;). (Thank you RandomDragon! I was already starting to doubt myself...)**

 **Hope you'll enjoy this one!**

* * *

The Morning before the Wedding  


When Jay woke up, he immediately noticed three things: One, he was not in his room at the _Temple of Airjitzu_. Two, it was just getting light outside. And three, he was on his own.

None of this was in any way surprising. It was the morning of Jay and Nya's wedding. While he and the guys were staying at Cliff Gordon's villa, the bride had spent the night at her brother's girlfriend's apartment, together with Skylor, Cole's girlfriend Seliel, and the recently rebuilt PIXAL.

Thanks to the 'special occasion', there had been no _Sunrise Exercise_ for the Ninja today, and the wedding wasn't until early afternoon, so Jay still had a lot of time before he would have to get up and get ready. So, the sleepy blue Ninja briefly wondered why was he _already_ awake?

That was when he noticed a fourth thing, a buzzing sound coming from his nightstand. He checked his phone and his handsome face broke into a bright smile when he saw who was calling him.

"Good morning, beautiful." He answered the phone. "Did you sleep well?"

"Good morning, handsome." Nya's voice replied. "Not too bad but I've been awake for a while. How about you? Hope I didn't wake you up."

"Yeah, I've slept alright." Of course, he had been (and still was) very anxious about the upcoming wedding, but his brothers had made sure that he had just had enough – but not too much – to drink to sleep reasonably well. "Although I've missed you. So, I don't mind being woken up by your lovely voice."

Since he had moved into her room a few weeks ago, the pretty Water Ninja was now usually the last thing Jay would see before falling asleep and the first thing after waking up. The only exception had been that one night last week, where Nya had made him sleep on the couch in the game room after one of their pre-wedding arguments. And she hadn't been too well for the last couple of days, so Jay had sometimes woken up to an empty bed and the sound of her throwing up in the en-suite bathroom.

Yes, they desperately needed a break and some time for each other. Tomorrow, they would be going on their honeymoon, a sailing trip on Cliff Gordon's yacht.

"I've missed you, too." Nya told him. "Which is why I am outside your place. I was thinking we could maybe go for a short walk before all the madness starts?"

"Sounds great, I'll be down in a minute." The Master of Lightning quickly freshened up and changed into his clothes from last night that were still lying in a pile on the floor (Nya would have told him off for that), before he left his room and silently walked past the guest rooms, hoping not to disturb his still sleeping brothers.

When he came downstairs, he found Lloyd passed out on the couch, hugging an (rather unskilfully) mended Mr Cuddlywomp.

"Good morning, Jay. How are you feeling on this fine day?" The robotic voice of the Titanium Ninja called to him, as he tried to sneak past the kitchen, where his nindroid brother was busy cleaning up. He was programmed to wake up at the same time every morning, regardless of the day – or the night before. Jay would never understand why Zane still insisted on washing the dishes with his hands, even though they finally had dishwashers installed in all their residences, but at least he was wearing rubber gloves, so that no water would hopefully get into his robotic hands. They had not brought any spare fuses with them.

"Good morning, Zane. I am good, thanks." Jay said. "And don't worry, I am not going to bail out. I just couldn't sleep anymore, so I am going for a walk and get some fresh croissants for breakfast from the bakery."

As Jay was walking down the cobblestone path, he spotted Nya waiting for him at the gate to the grand estate. She looked a bit pale and unusually nervous, but she broke into a bright smile as soon as she saw him.

The blue Ninja greeted his future wife with a kiss. "I've always thought it means bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

"Only if the groom sees her in her wedding gown." Nya explained. "And although I would love to, I am not going to get married in this attire."

She was wearing a pair of black leggings and a loose-fitting red tunic.

"You look lovely, so even if you changed your mind, I would still marry you. I know how much you hate dresses. And especially…"

Jay fell silent, but his fiancée understood what he was thinking about. None of them had the best memories of the raven-haired beauty in a pompous wedding dress.

"Yes, but this time I chose my dress _and_ my future husband myself." She reassured him. "And nothing bad will happen, so let's not think about _that_ , okay?"

"Okay." Jay was more than happy to agree. "Now, do you maybe want to go for a little walk? I've promised Zane to get a couple of items from the bakery."

Jay took her small hand into his, and they started walking along the small street.

"So… what did you guys do last night?" Nya started the conversation.

"Oh, nothing special. We stayed at the house, had a barbecue and a couple of beer. How about you?"

"The girls and I first had dinner at the restaurant before we went to Sky's place for a movie and some drinks." Nya began. "And because I was _really_ hungry, I had two main courses and a dessert." She blushed. "All at the same time. And so the others started to make fun of me."

"Why that?" Jay wondered as they stopped.

"Well, as you know I've been a bit… uhm…" She was obviously trying to find the right word.

"Sensitive? Irritable?" Jay suggested.

"More like _unbearable_ , I guess." The Master of Water smiled apologetically. "Anyway, because of all this, Sky and Sel started joking that they wouldn't let me have any wine with the movie, unless I could prove to them that I am _not_ pregnant, so I took a test when we were back at the apartment, and…"

"Wait, why would Skylor have a pregnancy test at her place?" Jay interrupted her.

Nya shrugged. "She just did. You just never know when you might need one. But it was a good thing because…"

The auburn-haired ninja smirked. "Does your brother know?"

"IT WAS POSITIVE." Nya blurted out.

"Wha-what?" Jay gasped, feeling all the colour leaving his freckled face.

"The test was positive." She repeated. "And the other two as well… I-I am pregnant."

Still in disbelief, Jay could see the tears pooling in her eyes. So, instead of saying anything, he simply wrapped his arms around her petite frame and pulled his fiancée into a comforting hug. Although his hands were shaking quite badly, he just _needed_ to hold her as tightly as he could.

"And it _does_ make a lot of sense." She mumbled into his chest. "I mean the signs were pretty obvious – mood swings, morning sickness, weird cravings, and I've _never_ been that late before. Maybe a few days, but not more than a week. And when I tried my dress yesterday, it felt a bit tight here." She pointed at her chest. "Even though I have lost some weight…but… we've been so busy, maybe I didn't _want_ to notice…"

She pulled away and looked up, her chocolate eyes locking with his sapphire ones.

"And now I am scared." She admitted. "Although I-I wanted this – and I still do – I didn't expect it to happen this fast. What if we are not ready to have a child? And… have I made you agree to something that maybe you didn't entirely want _yet_? That's why I wanted to tell you _before_ the wedding. Just to let you know that you can still get out of this."

Jay wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"Nya, I love you, I want to marry you, and I want to have a family with you. It would take a lot more than a baby to get rid of me. This is _our_ child, and we are going to raise it together." He told her in a surprisingly steady voice. As much as he _wanted_ to freak out, that had to wait until he would be back in his room, and on his own.

"I love you, too." She replied with a weak smile. "But I'm afraid you'll have to deal with cranky me for a few months longer then…"

"I'll manage." Jay promised her. " _We_ 'll manage. And I know it will be worth it."

This was enough for the other one to shed a few more – albeit happy – tears.

"This isn't fair." Nya sniffled. "Why do I keep crying? I've made a bet with Kai which one of us would cry first during the wedding…"

"Between the two of _you_ , or the two of _us_?"

The young woman awkwardly bit her lip. "Both, actually." She admitted. "And now I am totally going to lose it… stupid hormones."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Jay said. "For both again."

"Thanks…"

"Are you feeling better now?" The Master of Lightning enquired. "I really hope you're not going to be sick at the wedding…"

"No, it should be okay. But speaking about the wedding, I would prefer not to tell anyone yet. Today will already be crazy enough without breaking this kind of news…" Nya suggested.

"Yeah, I am worried that it would be too much for our parents to handle on one day." Her husband-to-be agreed.

"Skylor, Seliel, and PIXAL know, of course. But they have promised not to say anything. And they can help with swapping glasses…"

"Alright, let's use some positive thinking. We'll just have to make it through the day, and then tomorrow we'll be off on our honeymoon, just the two… uhm, three of us." Jay planted a quick kiss on Nya's lips.

"Sounds great." She agreed.

"But… a sailing trip might not the best idea at the moment…"

"Ah, I am sure it will be fine. Don't forget that I am the Master of Water. Unlike _all_ of you guys, I've _never_ been sick when we were living on the _Bounty_. In fact, I find it very relaxing to be out on the sea. And who knows…" she smiled, placing her hand on her flat stomach, " _he_ might like it too."

"I bet _she_ prefers thunderstorms." Jay smirked. "But now, we should probably get going, I'd rather be back with our breakfast before the others wake up."

"You are right. The girls are waiting for me as well. It's going to take while for me to get ready..."

They resumed their walk and, after purchasing their breakfast items at the small bakery, the couple reluctantly parted ways.

"I will see you later, I guess." Nya smiled.

"You will, and I can't wait for that." Jay confirmed. "How are you going to get back to Skylor's place? Do you want me to take you?"

"I'm okay. My dragon will take good care of us."

"Okay, text me when you are there."

"I will."

"I love you."

"I love you too."

Jay walked back to his birth father's villa and dropped the paper bags in the kitchen, where Zane was preparing scrambled eggs and bacon.

"Thank you." The Titanium Ninja looked at him. "Are you alright?"

Jay hesitated. Zane had always been the person – well, nindroid – that he had trusted the most. For quite a long time, the Master of Ice had been the only one to know the truth about Jay's future reflection. Maybe it would be good to share another secret with him.

"To be honest, I didn't just _go for a walk_ , I've spent some time with Nya."

"How is she feeling this morning?" Zane asked.

"Not too bad, she was sick earlier, but…" Realisation hit the blue Ninja. "You-you know?"

"I do. Congratulations, my friend."

"H-how?"

"PIXAL and I had gotten so used to having a shared working memory, that we have set up a joint cloud drive for important data. It was not PIXAL's intention to spill our sister's secret, but I accidently found out about .3 milliseconds after Nya had told the girls. But you do not need to worry, I will not tell anyone."

Jay sighed, feeling all his earlier strength and determination leaving his body. "Thanks, I appreciate that. We think it's better to save the news for another, less stressful, day."

"Yes, PIXAL and I have come to the same conclusion. But how are you feeling about it in general?"

"Ugh... I think I am going to pass out now." Jay replied.

And he did.


	12. Never Too Late

**Yay, I have FINALLY seen the LEGO Ninjago Movie; official release date here is next Friday 13th, but I was able to get tickets for a Preview this weekend :). Don't want to give any spoilers, but I loved it! And the graphics/animations are just amazing (I saw it in 3D!).**

 **This little oneshot was originally written for a oneshot writing challenge by _Jay-Lightning_ on wattpad (who deserves credits for coming up with the title/theme!), but it fits in here as well. A little apology for not updating any of my other stories here this weekend.  
**

 **Challenge: Never Too Late**

 **Pairing: Jaya (we were allowed to use a pairing of our choice ;)...)**

 **Setting: during _Skybound_ (The Last Resort / Operation Land Ho!)**

* * *

Never Too Late

"Ouch."

Nya winced, as she landed in a giant heap of junk.

Luckily, some more or less soft pieces of garbage had broken her fall from the sky, so the Water Ninja was quite confident that she hadn't broken any bones (or bricks if you prefer LEGO language XD).

Reluctant to leave her semi-stable position, the raven-haired girl curiously took in her surroundings. She smiled when she realised that she had arrived in an all too familiar junkyard in the middle of the Sea of Sands.

At that moment, the door to the old, rusty caravan burst open and two equally familiar figures stepped outside.

"What is all that racket?" Ed wondered. Then his eyes fell onto their uninvited guest. "Oh look, Edna. It's Nya." He exclaimed.

"Nya, how nice to see ya, it's been so long." His wife excitedly greeted her. "What are ya doin'?" She then addressed her husband who had just started to climb the garbage heap.

"It doesn't happen every day that someone in need lands on our doorstep – in fact, this is only the second time this has happened... so if you don't think I'm gonna help her, then you don't know the man you married." Ed replied.

"Of course, I know. That's why I married you." Edna gave him a loving smile. "I hope she's alright?"

The elderly inventor helped Nya to first get up from her lying position and then get safely down to the ground. The two Walkers then led her into their home, and soon Nya found herself tucked into a slightly worn armchair, covered with a cosy blanket, and a steaming bowl of homemade soup in her hands.

The Kunoichi felt slightly guilty for accepting the couple's help. Jay's parents were all too well aware of what had happened between the two (or three, including Cole) of them, and still they treated her like their own daughter.

"So, tell us, my dear. What brings you here?" Edna enquired. "How does someone just fall from the sky?"

"Well..." Nya began.

 _She and Jay had barely made it to the basement of the old Light House._

 _"The Traveller's Tea." She noted the teapot lying on the floor. "Good Thinking."_

 _As Jay blocked the door to keep the Skypirates from entering, she poured out the remaining tea to open the portal, but all but only a few droplets had been spilled before._

 _"That's it? That's all that's left?" She asked, disappointed. "That isn't big enough for both of us."_

 _"But, it's big enough for you." The blue Ninja replied. "Nya, take the poison. I promised you I was going to protect you. And I'm a man of my word."_

 _Nya felt tears pooling in her eyes. "Oh, Jay. This is the reason..." She sighed._

 _"The reason for what?"_

 _"The reason you're the only one I've ever let into my heart. I don't know how to ever tell you this but... even before you saw a glimpse into our future, I saw it, too." She locked her eyes with his. "The first time I met you."_

 _Jay's tired eyes lit up, and he gave one of his – adorable – nervous chuckles. "Y-you did?" But before he could react further to this revelation, he noticed the portal getting weaker. "Hurry, Nya. The flame is going out." He exclaimed._

 _"But if I'm ever gonna get a say in our future, it's me who has to protect you. Because it's you who has the wish..."_

 _"But it's you who can grant him infinite wishes." He smiled at her. "Don't worry, I'll be alright. I've managed before..."_

 _Nya's glanced at his left eye which hadn't fully healed yet. The beautiful sapphire orb was still bloodstained, but it was glistening with determination._

 _"I will find a way to safe both Ninjago and my-our future." She promised. "Stay strong, okay?"_

 _Jay nodded. Nya knew she had to leave him behind, but at the same time, she could feel herself drawn towards him. Closing her eyes, she leaned in._

 _Just as their lips were about to touch, however, the pirates burst into the room, and she could feel Jay giving her a push and she fell through the portal._

"And then, when I tried to save Jay with the _Traveller's Tea_ , he said that, since I was the one the Djinn was after, I needed to be saved." Nya explained. "And when he pushed me through the portal, I had no idea where I was going, but I believe that Jay has sent me where I needed to be."

"Aww, did you hear that, Ed?" Edna cooed. "Out of all places in Ninjago, our adopted son chose to send you here, to us..."

"Of course, he did. You are still his parents and he loves you very much."

"And he loves you too, dearie."

That was too much for the young Water Ninja. She could feel the tears running down her face.

"I-I've never told him that I love him, too. And I never got to apologise for betraying him... what if... it is too late now?" She sobbed into her soup.

Edna placed her hand on her shoulder.

"It is _never_ too late to make things right. I know you will find a way to do it."

"But how?"

"So, that's why Ninjago is falling apart..." Ed mumbled.

Nya sighed. "If I could take back those stupid wishes I've wasted, I would. But... I can't. It cost me my friends, and the two people who cared for me the most – my brother and the love of my life. And now it's up to me, and me alone, to save _him_ , and the world."

"Now you stop it." Mr Walker stated. "Stop making excuses."

Nya looked up. "Excuse me?"

"Ed, don't be so hard on her." Edna placated her husband.

"She has to hear it." Ed said firmly. "Nya, you are such a strong and nice young lady. You can't tell me that a girl like you can't scrap together a few friends who'll help her out in a jam?"

Nya hesitated. "There are some people who might be able to help. But... after all I've done I doubt that they would be willing to do it for me..." She broke out in a smile. "But maybe they will do it for Jay."

"Now, that's the positive thinking I like to see." Ed smiled back. "Ya know, you'll make a pretty good _Walker_ one day."

"I-I'd like that." Nya blushed. "But first, I have to make things right. I just hope Jay has managed to stay strong. I just hope it is not too late to save him."

She was very worried for the blue Ninja. Was he being tortured again? Was he holding up? Or... had he given up and wished it all away?

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What did I just tell you?" Mrs Walker reminded her. And she was right. Jay had promised her to stay strong. And he was a man of his word.

So Nya firmly looked the older woman in her eyes.

"It is _never_ too late." She confirmed. "No matter what has happened so far, I _will_ have a say in my future. I _will_ recruits some friends. And I _will_ save Jay Walker."


	13. More Than Words

**Surprise update on a Monday afternoon – we are currently having a status red weather alert caused by (ex-)hurricane Ophelia, and all schools and colleges in Ireland are closed for the day…  
**

 **This very (!) short oneshot was also written for a writing challenge, this time by** ** _Fan-Of-Jay_ (** **her username here is the same just without the dashes). The theme reminded me of the amazing rock ballad "More Than Words" by Extreme, which is where I got the title from.**

 **Challenge: "The best and the worst thing about love is that; it cannot be expressed in words."**

 **Pairing: Jaya**

 **Setting: The ending of** _ **Skybound**_ **(yeah, I just love messing with this season…)**

* * *

More than Words

"And what are you implying by _we_?" Nya asked, putting her hands on her hips in an annoyed stance. But… something felt off. Hadn't they been here before? What in Ninjago was going on?

Nya's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the familiar choppy sounds of helicopters approaching.

"Quick, they're coming." Lloyd shouted, and the five male Ninja immediately did airjtzu to take cover behind a large billboard, leaving the female Water Ninja on her own on the hospital roof.

"Nya, you need to hide, too." Jay called from his hiding place abover her.

Yeah, thanks for the advice... although, thinking about it, the guys were right. They needed to go… somewhere. But where?

More confused than annoyed, Nya ignored her friends and turned her back on them.

"Forget what I said. Just take my hand." Jay urged her, as the press helicopters were already circling overhead.

"Just take his hand, Nya." Cole agreed with his best friend. "Or else we're gonna be… spotted."

Yes, something was definitely wrong here, and from the tone in Cole's voice, she wasn't the only one who had noticed it.

As Nya turned around again, she saw that her teammates had removed their masks, all a confused look on their faces.

"Nya. Take. My. Hand." Jay said one more time.

And when her eyes locked with his, Nya finally remembered. The Djinn. Their wasted wishes. The lighthouse. The wedding. The venom. And… Jay's final wish.

Her eyes fell on the blue Ninja's outstretched hand. _I am here for you._ It said.

Nya removed her hood and smiled at him. _I know._ The smile replied. _  
_

Remembering the events on Tiger Widow Island, she activated her own airjitzu to fly up to the platform. But instead of joining her friends, she extended her hand towards Jay. _And I am here for you._

He smiled back and accepted her hand, entering her tornado. _I trust you._

As they went higher into the sky, Nya took his other hand, closing the circle, and gave it a careful squeeze. _Forgive me._

He squeezed back. _I do._

After what felt like an eternity, they safely landed back on the hospital roof, holding onto and smiling at each other. _I love you._

"Woah, did I interrupt something?" Yes, Dareth's voice _definitely_ interrupted their moment.

But neither of them cared.

"I remember. I remember it all." Nya said.

"I do too." Jay laughed. "But how?"

"Who cares?" Nya asked.

And then she gave him that look. The look he used to get a lot but hadn't seen in a _very_ long time. The look that said _Shut up and kiss me._

And Jay still understood it.


	14. To Have and To Hold

**I am sooo sorry it took me this long to get this chapter done. But I found it really difficult to write. I am German, which means I am not too familiar with the British or American wedding traditions that most people here would be used to (apart from stuff I've seen in movies and such, of course).**

 **At some point, I was seriously considering skipping over the wedding itself to go straight to the reception. But that would have been cheating, right ;)?!**

 **In the end, I have simply mixed a couple of traditions. Some parts, for example the words for the vows/rings etc., come from the traditional Roman Catholic wedding ceremony (I am Catholic!), just shortened.**

 **Oh, and I am 'reusing' Nya's dress from 'At Your Most Beautiful', it took me quite a while to come up with the design when I wrote that oneshot (and I still like it).**

 **But… I'm afraid this chapter is not very good, it's kinda short and just turned out incredibly cheesy.**

 **There will be a second part of the wedding with the reception, party and such (and, as requested, Kai finding out about Nya being pregant!), which should hopefully be better, easier to write and not take me as long. I've already worked out a good bit of Cole's speech - which is actually fun to write :)** **.**

 **Also, would you be interested in reading another Jaya oneshot I did for a writing challenge? It is super short and there are a few parallels to AYMB, but it introduces some of 'my' OCs for the ninja's children :).**

 **Thanks for reading and all your lovely support xx.**

* * *

To Have and to Hold

"Jay, stop messing with you tie." Cole told the _very_ nervous auburn-haired man standing next to him at the altar. The blue Ninja was slowly but steadily driving his three friends crazy - well, actually only Cole and Lloyd, whereas Zane managed to remain his usual calm self.

"But it's too tight." Jay complained, trying to loosen the blue tie around his neck. "I can't breathe."

"This has nothing to do with your tie, Zane has checked the knot three times, and it is absolutely perfect." The Master of Earth placed a comforting hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Just relax. It'll all be fine."

"That's easier said than done." Jay sighed. "What is taking them so long? What if she has changed her mind and…"

"Jason Walker, I really don't want to slap you in front of all these people, but I will if you don't calm down right now." Cole interrupted him. "Kai texted me a few minutes ago that they are on their way. You have waited six years for this moment, now you can wait for a few minutes longer."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that…" Lloyd grinned.

"You're not helping here, Lloyd." The black Ninja glared at his younger friend before turning his focus back at the Master of Lightning. "As much as you love punctuality, this is the one time that Nya can be as late as she wants. The wedding simply won't start without her."

"But it appears that she respects how much her future husband hates to be kept waiting." Zane told his brothers. "PIXAL has just informed me that they have arrived outside the church."

"Alright, guys. Are you ready? Let's do this." Cole said to the other three men.

"This is exactly what you used to say – and even exactly _how_ you said it – whenever we went on a mission during our early Ninja days." Jay grinned at the team's former leader.

"Just take it as _your_ most important mission ever." Cole gave his best friend a firm hug, which was then joined by Zane and Lloyd as well. "And _our_ mission is to get you through this day. So, everyone on their position _now_." He instructed his honorary brothers.

Just as the four men had straightened up again and taken their places, the doors at the back of the church opened, and the music started to play.

Nya, led by both her father and her brother, entered the church to the _Allegro maestoso_ from Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's 2nd organ sonata.

Neither of them had wanted to use one of the traditional 'bridal marches', so it had taken them quite a bit of time – and arguing – before they had finally selected this piece, which Maya had suggested to them.

But Jay could hardly pay attention to the music anyway. He could hardly pay attention to anything – or anyone – except for his breathtakingly beautiful bride.

Her bateau neck bridal gown was entirely made from ivory satin, just lightly accented by scattered beading on the bodice and the floor length slim A-line skirt.

A beaded belt around her slim waist helped accentuating Nya's petite curves, and the sleeveless dress showed the perfectly toned shoulders and arms of the former Samurai and current Master of Water.

All in all, the simpler yet elegant design suited her a lot better than the first (much too pompous) wedding dress he had seen her in. And, more importantly, this time she looked actually happy wearing it.

The raven-haired woman had a bright smile on her lovely face, just a hint of makeup and, of course, her signature red lipstick had been applied to it.

In her small hands, she was holding a bouquet of red roses. Walking down the aisle towards her future husband, Nya's waist-length ivory veil was flowing behind her.

Jay may have told Nya earlier that he would be fine with her wearing a more casual outfit for their wedding, but he certainly didn't mind marrying her in _this_ attire instead.

The three _Smiths_ were followed by Skylor, as the maid of honour, as well as Seliel and the rebuilt P.I.X.A.L, all dressed in long sky blue bridesmaid dresses.

While first living alone with her brother and later with the Ninja, Nya had never had many female friends. But over the past few months she and her brother's girlfriend had become best friends, and more recently, they had also found two good friends in the partners of Cole and Zane.

Jay could hear some sobbing coming from the first row, where his parents were seated, but he still kept his eyes fixed at the young woman walking towards him. And as his bride's eyes locked with his, he felt a few stray tears running down his cheeks.

"You lost." Nya mouthed at him with a wink.

"I know." He replied, wiping his cheeks and eyes with a handkerchief the attentive Nindroid had passed him. "And you look amazing."

Jay wanted nothing more than to swoop her up into his arms and kiss his _fiancée_ , but he knew that he would have to wait until after they were married – and he would then be allowed to kiss his _wife_.

When they reached the front of the aisle, Ray and Kai each gave their daughter and sister a kiss on the cheek and took their respective places in the front row and among the groomsmen.

"Dearly Beloved. Welcome and thank you for being here on this very special day." The Priest greeted the assembly, and Jay finally managed to remove his eyes from the raven-haired beauty at his side, to look up at the elderly man in front of them. "We are gathered here together to witness and celebrate the uniting in marriage of Nya and Jason."

As the Priest continued to explain the importance of marriage, both Jay's gaze and mind drifted off again. But, having officiated countless weddings before, the experienced Priest was neither surprised nor bothered by this at all. That's why he had explained everything to the young couple in depth during their pre-wedding meetings.

"Nya and Jason, your marriage today is the public and legal joining of your souls that have already been united as one in your hearts. And so, in the presence of friends and family, I ask you to state your intentions." He then directly addressed the bride and groom. "Have you come here to enter into Marriage without coercion, freely and wholeheartedly?"

Having been forced to remain silent for way longer than he was used to, Jay awkwardly cleared his throat before answering.

"I have." The couple replied.

"Are you prepared, as you follow the path of Marriage, to love and honour each other for as long as you both shall live?"

"I am." Nya and Jay said together.

"Are you prepared to accept children lovingly from God and to bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?"

"I am." They answered wholeheartedly. When she noticed Jay smiling happily while taking a brief glimpse at her flat stomach, Nya beamed at him.

"Since it is your intention to enter the covenant of Holy Matrimony, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church." The Priest instructed them.

Jay quickly wiped the sweating palm of his hand on his black trousers before taking Nya's hand into his.

"I, Jason Edward Walker, take you, Nya Smith, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life." He promised in a surprisingly steady voice, staring into her chocolate brown eyes that were – finally! – also welling up with happy tears.

"I, Nya Smith, take you, Jason Edward Walker, to be my husband. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life." She sniffed.

The Priest smiled at the now wedded couple **[no, this is not a mistake, a couple is officially married already after the exchange of vows!]** and offered them a small cushion holding the blessed rings. They had chosen matching classic D-shaped platinum wedding bands that would be least likely to interfere with their Ninja duties.

Jay took the smaller one of the two rings into his hands and gently placed it on his new wife's finger. "Nya, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity." He told her.

"Jay, receive this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity." Nya replied, placing the larger ring on his finger.

"I know pronounce you husband and wife." As the two elemental Masters stared into each other's eyes, the officiant said the words Jay had been longing to hear since the moment that he had first met Nya. "You may now kiss the bride." He finally said.

Jay gently placed his hands on his wife's hips. Well aware that the Priest and all their friends and families, including both sets of parents and especially her father, were closely watching them, he placed a gentle and not too deep kiss on her ruby lips. Hopefully, they would manage to find a private moment or two during the afternoon, to have a _real_ kiss.

"I love you, Mrs Walker." Jay smiled at Nya, as they broke apart.

Nya smiled back. "I love you too, Mr Walker." She said.


	15. Something Blue (Part 1)

**Happy Hallwe'en (if you are celebrating it that is)!**

 **A massive Thank You for all the lovely comments on the previous chapter, I was so glad to see that you liked it. And an extra shout-out to RandomDragon who posted the 100th review to this book :)!**

 **Guest: Thanks for the suggestion, I like the idea!**

 **This is the first part of the wedding reception/dinner/party, it's mainly speeches but not boring ones I hope ;). There will be a second part coming fairly soon. I want to wrap up the wedding storyline (and I really enjoy writing this bit), so I am a bit behind schedule with my other stories, including the Halloween Special (but it's not strictly Halloween related anyway, so I will just post it a bit later…).**

 **Thanks to LGOE (I always want to write LEGO instead – spelling that out would make your name sound a bit like Yoda speaking...) for some help with the timeline of the evening :). This chapter is again a mix of different traditions, please don't expect too much accuracy!**

 **And just to annoy you one last time (I promise!) – please let me know what kind of Christmas Special you would like me to do. Details are on my profile. It's currently a tie between two of the options. (For registered users only: please vote in my Poll or send me a PM instead of putting it in a review!)**

* * *

Something Blue

"Hey."

Nya grinned at her brother, who was casually leaning against a tree, a half-full champagne flute in his hand and watching their friends and family enjoying themselves at the drinks reception in honour of the marriage between the Masters of Water and Lightning.

Nya and Jay had chosen a small yet luxurious hotel just outside the city as venue for their wedding celebration. It was a lovely late afternoon, so most guests were gathered on the private terrace, chatting to each other while having a drink and some snacks, whereas a few people were even using the opportunity to take a little stroll through the beautiful gardens.

"Hi sis." He smiled back. "Finally done with all your wedding pictures? Where did you leave your husband?"

"Jay just went to check on his parents, Edna was pretty emotional during the ceremony." Nya explained. "So, what is such a handsome young man doing here all by himself?" She teased him. "Hiding from fangirls?"

"More like getting used to the fact that my baby sister is now a married woman who doesn't need me anymore." Kai told her, unable to hide the slightly sad tone in his voice.

Nya hugged her brother. "Even as a married woman, your baby sister will _always_ need you. Just… not in exactly the _same_ way as when we were kids. Did I ever thank you for everything you've done for me?"

"More than once." He replied. "And I am really glad that one of my closest friends is now my brother-in-law. I hope we'll always remain close, even when we _all_ have our own families one day."

"I am sure we will. And speaking of having _your_ own family, do you any plans for that?" The bride's eyes fell on her red-haired maid-of-honour who was talking to Seliel, and P.I.X.A.L., probably coordinating some of the events for this evening. "I've always wanted a sister. And I've developed some pretty accurate throwing skills over the last couple of years, you know?" She winked at him.

"I'd say we aren't there _yet_." Kai stated. "I sure hope we will be at some point though. But right now, I am just looking forward to having more time for each other again."

"I know we've kept you both busy with the wedding and such. And I wasn't too easy to deal with." Nya blushed. "I don't think we would have made it this far without all your help… and Jay has told me how much you've already helped him _before_ his proposal."

"Yeah, to be honest I wasn't sure he would make it through the weekend at mum and dad's, when he asked them for their blessing." Kai smirked. "But in the end, it all went very smoothly."

"Good thing mum adores her new son-in-law." Nya sighed in relief. "But I'm not falling for your attempt to divert. This whole day may be about _us_ , but if _you_ ever need us, Jay and I will be more than happy to return the favour, okay?"

"I know, sis. Thanks."

"And I'm telling you, wedding preparations can be a pain, but the actual _getting married_ bit feels really great."

Kai smiled at his younger sibling. "I love seeing you this happy, especially after you've been so stressed out. What did the girls do to you last night?"

"Oh, you know… someone recently said to me I should try to enjoy the day no matter what happens, and I am just following their advice."

"Sounds like a very wise and very attractive person to me." Kai stated with a smirk.

"Oh, totally. And definitely not short of confidence either." Nya agreed. "And last night… well, let's just say I came to realise that there are a lot more important things about a wedding than the flowers or the cake..."

" _Nothing_ is ever more important than cake. And especially at a wedding." Cole joined the siblings, a glass of champagne in one hand and carefully balancing a plate loaded with sushi and spring rolls in the other. "But that's also some really nice food you picked for the reception, Nya. I was starving after the ceremony. When I'll get married, we will have some snacks even before the wedding."

"Cole, if you consider the food as the most important part of a wedding, no one will _ever_ marry you." Kai chided his friend.

"Hey Sel." The black Ninja called to his girlfriend. "What's the most important thing about a wedding?"

"Celebrating the unbreakable love between two people." She shouted back. "And the cake."

"You see?" He grinned.

Kai rolled his eyes at the black Ninja. "Did you two by any chance meet on a dating site for cake-obsessed people?"

"You know exactly where we met." Cole reminded his friends of their first encounter with the _Phantom Ninja._

"It doesn't matter where and how you've met, you two just make a really great couple." Nya laughed. "I am very happy for you."

"Be careful, Nya has gotten over her pre-wedding jitters and now wants _everyone_ else to get married too." Her brother warned the other male.

"I'd say that's not gonna happen for a while, we haven't seen each other for that long." Cole replied. "Although I wouldn't mind having wedding food every day. Would you like some sushi?" He offered his plate to Nya. "I know these are your favourites. And you probably haven't eaten much all day."

"You are right, thank you." She loved sushi, but having to avoid the pieces containing raw fish, Nya picked a kappa maki.

"So, this is where all the food went." Jay came walking over, holding two glasses containing an orange liquid in his hands. "And my wonderful wife." He handed one of the glasses to Nya. "Orange juice. My mum insisted that we need more vitamins if we want to make it through the evening…"

"Thanks, my dashing husband." She flashed him a grateful smile before taking a sip from her glass. "Edna is too sweet. How is she doing?"

"Still a bit shaken but much better." The auburn-haired man explained. "Cole, stop eating all that stuff, we're gonna have dinner soon."

"And I hate to disturb your little gathering, but we need to start getting everyone inside rather soon, if we want to stick to our schedule for the evening." Zane had suddenly appeared behind the groom.

"Leave that to us." Cole gave his best friend as pat on the back. "The two of you haven't really had a break so far, so maybe you want to stay out here for another moment, or two."

"Thanks, guys."

"I like getting married, everyone keeps spoiling us." Nya smiled at her husband. "But I am sure I will also love _being_ married to you."

"Me too. And I am really looking forward to going on our honeymoon tomorrow. But now that we finally have a moment to ourselves, there is something I've been waiting to do all afternoon."

Jay placed the two empty glasses on the ground and wrapped his arms around his wife's slender waist, drawing her in for a deep and long kiss.

* * *

It took quite a while to usher everyone into the bright and tastefully decorated function room. Thus, the newly wedded couple, after taking maybe just a _bit_ longer than only one or two moments to themselves, arrived just in time to welcome their guests one more time before the dinner would start, their faces slightly flushed.

"Good evening everyone." Jay announced after clearing his throat a couple of times. As much as he enjoyed talking, he didn't like speaking in front of a large audience at all. "And thank you all very much for joining us here to celebrate this special day with us."

"Don't worry, we will keep this rather short." Nya added. "As we are sure you are all looking forward to the dinner."

"Probably some more than others." Jay chimed in, giving a side glance at Cole who was sitting next to him.

"Anyway, we would just like to thank the people who have helped us to make this day possible – and who really haven't had it easy with us in the past few weeks." Nya continued. "Yes, I am talking about our friends and teammates Zane, Lloyd, Kai – the best brother in the whole of Ninjago – and Cole, my husband's best friend and also his best man tonight."

"And then, we have the lovely bridesmaids, Seliel, P.I.X.A.L., and Skylor, Nya's maid of honour." It was Jay's turn again. "Sky's restaurant has not only provided the great food at the reception earlier, but she also helped us make a little gift for our guests. You each find a _personalised_ fortune cookie on your place. So please do not swap them. And I would like to remind certain people that you are not supposed to swallow them in whole."

"Jay and I have also each made one for the other." Nya handed a fortune cookie to her husband. "This one is yours. I know you hate waiting, so you can read yours first." She offered.

The Master of Lightning broke his cookie and took out the folded small piece of paper.

" _A perfect marriage is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other."_ He read out his message. _"Jay: I am far from perfect and I haven't always made it easy for you to love me, but even in the worst times, you never gave up on me. I promise to never give up on you – on us – again. I will love you for as long as I live, and beyond._ _PS: Remember to always stay as imperfect as you are. Because I like – love – you best when you are you._

He swallowed. "We may have come a long way from there, but I'll never forget the day when you first told me this."

"Me neither." Nya smiled at him. She then opened her fortune cookie.

" _Nya: After all we've been through, you know me better than anyone else in all 16 realms (including those weird guys from Cloud Kingdom) and yet you've still agreed to marry me._ " She read. " _I have loved you from the moment we met, and with every day I've loved you more the more I've gotten to know you. I promise to make you happy, to make you laugh, and to always be there for you, each day of our life._ "

While a round of applause was given, the Water Ninja embraced her husband, a few tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you." She whispered.

"No, thank _you_. I meant every word of it." He whispered back, before placing a delicate kiss on her lips.

"Well, I think we've kept you waiting for long enough now." Jay then addressed their guests again, raising his glass. "Thank you very much again for coming, and enjoy your meal."

* * *

After all guests had finished their main course and all tables had been cleared, the Master of Earth stood up from his seat and, by carefully tapping a teaspoon against his delicate glass, called for everyone's attention.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. My name is Cole Brookstone, I am a teammate and 'brother' of Jay and Nya's. And as the groom's best friend, I now have the honour and definitely also the pleasure of telling you a couple of things about Jason Edward Walker.

"I first met Jay and Zane about seven years ago, when Sensei Wu recruited the three of us to form a new team of Ninja and, as we only found out much later, Elemental Fighters. A couple of months later, Kai rather reluctantly joined our team, to save his sister Nya who had been kidnapped by Lord Garmadon.

"Before I continue talking about the happy couple, I would like to propose a toast to two absent friends, who are dearly missed – and who are also somehow responsible for Jay and Nya meeting each other in the first place."

The Master of Earth gave a quick nod at his girlfriend who had an open laptop in front of her, and a picture of Wu and Garmadon, taken a few weeks after the first defeat of the Overlord, was projected onto the screen behind the top table.

"To our great teachers and even better friends, Sensei Wu and Sensei Garmadon." He said, raising his glass, and everyone else did the same in response.

"And it was already back then that Jay knew that Nya would become a very special person in his life," Cole continued after the toast. "Because when Kai first mentioned his sister to us, he became very interested in finding out more about her. And interestingly, the _second_ question Jay asked about her was 'Does she like blue?'

"As you can probably tell from the wedding's colour scheme, the answer to that question was yes. Of course, Nya and Jay have a lot of common interests, but their love for the same colour – which is also related to both their elemental powers Water and Lightning – has also strengthened their love for each other.

"This is why, in preparation for this speech, I have asked our friends and family what they associate with the colour blue. I would like to thank everyone who has replied, and I am now going to share a few of the responses with you."

Seliel handed him a pile of papers of different sizes as well as a couple of other things which she had kept in a briefcase under their table. While Cole was going through the gifts, messages and comments, photos of the respective items were shown on the screen.

"For example, I have received this highly detailed and very interesting twelve-page essay on various aspects of the colour blue, for example that, I quote, ' _light with a dominant wavelength between 450 and 495 nm appears blue to the human eye. In the traditional RYB colour theory and in the RGB model, blue is one of the three primary colours, while in the CMYK colour model blue is obtained by mixing magenta and cyan. Depending on the model applied, its complementary colour is orange or yellow_.'"

"Unfortunately, I won't have the time to go into all the details, but I will give the two of you the complete folder, just so you'll have something _else_ to do during your honeymoon." He winked at the newlyweds.

"Then, someone has sent me this album entitled _Blue is the Colour_ **[this is a real album by The Beautiful South]** without any further comment, but I'd assume it is from one of Jay's admirers – yes, those apparently exist! – because the first song on this album is called _Don't marry her_. Unfortunately, this warning comes a bit too late, so... my sincere apologies to all Jay Walker fangirls, the man is taken." Cole shrugged and tossed the CD over his shoulder.

"As Jay is well known to be the blue Ninja of our team, it is not surprising that many answers are somehow related to the _Mouth of Lightning_ , the _hot presenter from that Ninja show on TV_ , _nunchuck guy, Zap Trap_ , the _gosh darn cutest baby I have ever seen_ , _Motormouth_ , and so on.

"Despite – or maybe because of – its connection to Jay, most people associate very positive attributes with this colour; only one person has mentioned a rather traumatic experience of being defeated by an opponent using the same blue bath towel as both weapon _and_ only piece of clothing. But I don't want to spoil anyone's appetite for dessert, so I will keep the details of this encounter a secret."

"Apparently, blue symbolises creativity and intelligence – no, I am not going to comment on _that_ – as well as trust, loyalty, and honesty. Those three characteristics definitely represent Jay. The poor guy can't cheat or tell a lie for his life." Cole summarised. "Also, the colour is supposed to have a calming effect. As Jay is certainly _not_ famous for being the calmest person in Ninjago, it could have been very interesting if Sensei Wu had decided to give him a more 'exciting' gi colour, like for example red...

"And speaking of red," The black Ninja took an A4 sheet from the pile. "someone has sent me this list containing _Fifty_ _Shades of Blue_ , from indigo over royal blue and sky blue to sapphire. It finishes with the remark _PS: Red is so much better_ , so I think we can thank Kai for this incredibly important contribution." He folded the sheet in half and placed it back on the other documents.

"On the other hand, a lot more relevant to this day is this rhyme I reveived. Every bride should wear ' _Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue_ ', on her wedding day, to bring good luck and happiness to her marriage.

I am sure Nya has followed this common tradition and has all these items hidden somewhere on or in her outfit, but there is something that makes her stand out from any other bride in Ninjago. Nya," He directly addressed the bride. "you are an extremely lucky woman to have your very own _something blue_ not only for today but for the rest of your life. And I know that he will do anything to make you happy.

"Another tradition is that bride and groom shouldn't know about everything that will happen during their wedding party in advance, but in a close team of highly skilled and sneaky Ninja, it is seemingly just impossible to keep secrets from each other. So, thanks to the bride for this cute little note saying _It's my favourite colour_ , with a little blue heart drawn next to it.

And this item in fact now brings me back to the very beginning of this speech. After hearing so much about the importance of Jay's _second_ question about Nya, you may be wondering what his _first_ question was."

"Cole, if you keep talking now you are not getting any cake." Jay hissed.

"I think I am going to take that risk." The other man replied coolly. "As you know, cake and I will _always_ find a way to each other. And I am sure everyone else in this room, including your wife, would love to hear the answer – or the question for that matter.

"So, the first thing the guy who is now banging his head on the table wanted to know about his future wife – oh, by the way this means," Cole took a folded note from his shirt pocket and put it on the table, "this one goes to the green Ninja for predicting Jay's reaction correctly. Well done, Master Lloyd."

"You are enjoying this, aren't ya?" Jay asked in a rather desperate voice.

"Absolutely." Cole smirked, after taking a _very_ slow sip of water. "Most certainly a lot more than you do. But I shouldn't drag this out for too much longer, mainly because there will be cake after this speech, so, the first thing Jay asked about Nya simply was 'Is she hot?'

"Back then, Kai refused to give us an answer to this question, and I'd say it was probably for Jay's own good that we never spoke about it again. Although I am sure your husband will be more than happy to give you _his_ opinion in this matter later tonight, when you are alone in your honeymoon suite." He winked at Nya.

"But for now, I would like to give you my opinion on a different matter. After going through all _your_ responses, it's only fair that I should also tell you _my_ answer to the question what the colour blue means to me. That's very simple. For me, blue stands for the best friend I have ever had - and I ever will have. And I wish him and his new wife nothing but happiness in their future together.

Please raise your glasses to Mr and Mrs Smith – I mean Walker." Cole announced. "And then," he pretended to check his watch, "it should _finally_ be time for cake."


	16. Life can't get much better

**Another little oneshot I did for** ** _Jay-Lightning_** **'s writing challenge on Wattpad (for each oneshot you get a chapter title and a choice of three pairings).**

 **The final part of the wedding should come soon, probably some time next week.  
**

* * *

Life Can't Get Much Better

"How are you feeling, honey?" Nya Walker asked her husband, as they were walking up to the hospital entrance, squeezing his hand in a comforting manner. "You are a bit pale."

Jay turned his head and smiled at his wife. "I am great. Just nervous."

"Me too." Nya nodded. "I guess that's never going to change, no matter how many times we've been here before. But I'm sure they will be just fine."

"I know." Jay sighed. "And I can't wait to _finally_ meet her. Did pregnancies _always_ take this long?"

"They did." Nya giggled at her husband's antics. "I guess we were just busier when we had our kids, so time went by a lot faster..." She stated. "But I can't wait either. I am really curious what she looks like."

"And what her element is." The auburn-haired man added excitedly.

"You mean if she has _your_ element." The former Master of Water teased her husband. "But don't get your hopes up. So far, the firstborn child of two elemental masters has always received their father's element."

"Yes, but you know our daughter. When has she ever played by the rules? It wouldn't even be surprising if the baby had water or fire abilities from your side."

"Let's just wait and see."

"But I _hate_ waiting." Jay complained.

"I know. But I'm afraid you have no other choice. And it won't be for long." Nya kissed him on the cheek, before she walked over to the reception desk. "Good afternoon, we are here to Abigail Brookstone, please. We're her parents, Nya and Jay Walker."

The nurse looked up and smiled at the elderly couple. "Good afternoon, Mr and Mrs Walker. Mrs Brookstone is in room 321, on the third floor. Congratulations, by the way. It's a perfectly healthy and lovely little girl."

"Thank you so much." Nya replied with a happy smile.

When they arrived at their daugther's room, they stopped in front of the door and looked at each other. Jay gently tucked a strand of black and silver hair behind his wife's ear. "I love you, grandma."

"I love you too, grandpa." Nya laughed. "Now, let's go see our little granddaughter."

She knocked on the door. "Come in." A male voice called from inside.

Nya opened the door, and the retired Ninja entered the room.

A visibly exhausted young woman with long brunette hair and deep blue eyes was sitting in the hospital bed, holding a white little bundle in her arms, while an equally tired looking black-haired young man was sitting in the chair next to the bed, lovingly looking at his wife and newborn daughter while an ice pack was wrapped around his left hand.

"Mom, dad." The woman excitedly greeted her parents. "Meet your granddaughter, Edna Brookstone."

"Congratulations, darling." Nya smiled at her oldest daughter "How are you feeling?"

"A bit sore and tired, but otherwise all good. And the baby is fine, that's the main thing. Do you want to hold her?"

Nya tenderly took the sleeping baby from her daughter. "She is gorgeous, honey." The proud new grandmother said.

"Congratulations, Luke." Jay embraced his son-in-law. "Abby did this?" He then asked, looking at the other man's hand.

"Yes." Luke confirmed. "Never underestimate the strength of a woman in pain, it can even break a Master of Earth."

"Must run in the family. Nya broke two bones in my hand, when she gave birth to Abigail. And one of them again with Robbie." Jay stated. "But it's worth it." He smiled.

"Would you like to hold her too?" Nya carefully handed the precious bundle to her husband.

"She is so beautiful. And I love her name." He sniffed. "Mum would have been so proud of you"

"Thanks, dad. We've already sent a picture to grandpa Ed. Also to grandma Maya, uncle Kai and aunt Sky, and to Luke's grandparents." Abby told him. "We will visit them as soon as we can. It would just be too much to have them all around today."

"They will love that." Nya said, taking a closer look at the girl who was slightly stirring in her grandfather's arms. "She looks a lot like you, Luke."

Luke smiled. "She does. But when she wakes up soon, you will see that she has blue eyes like Abby and Jay."

"YESSS." Jay cheered. The deep blue eye colour was a dominant trait genetically linked with the Lightning element. "Better luck next time, huh?" He grinned at his son-in-law.

"DAD!" Abby blushed, but smiled happily at her father.

And Jay smiled back.

Shortly after, they were joined by Cole and his wife Seliel, the baby's other grandparents, as well as little Edna's aunts and uncles from both sides.

Looking at his still beautiful wife, his wonderful friends and his – growing – family, Jay thought that his life couldn't get much better than this.

Sure, he had thought so quite a few times before – when they had defeated the Overlord, when he and Nya had finally gotten married, when their own children had been born.

But in this certain matter, he had always liked to find out he had been wrong all along.

* * *

 **Jay and Nya's oldest daughter is called Abigail (in some other stories, I have also used the name Emilia, but Abby was her 'original' name and in the end, I went back to this one), she is married to Cole and Seliel's son Luke. The Walkers have two more kids, Robert and Maya. And Luke has a twin sister, Sylvia. Not telling about the other families** ;) **.**

 **Quick question: Would you be interested in reading a sequel to _Elective Affinities_?**


	17. Something Blue (Part 2)

Something Blue (Part 2)

Standing behind the table with the wedding cake, Nya took the sharp silver dagger her parents had made for them as wedding present.

"A blacksmiths' daughter and son-in-law won't use an ordinary blunt cake knife to cut their wedding cake." Ray and Maya had told them.

Nya wrapped her right hand around the hilt – shaped like a dragon's head, with a ruby as one eye and a sapphire on the other side – and Jay placed his hand gently over hers.

"I guess I'll let you be on top _this_ time. You'd better make up for it later." Nya whispered before pecking his lips, causing her new husband to blush slightly.

"I'd say we can _discuss_ that thenl." He answered in an equally quiet voice, hoping that no one else had their conversation, before they both turned their attention back to the four-tiered chocolate cake in front on them.

Neither of them liked the overly sweet fondant-covered wedding cakes so, despite having a blue-themed wedding, the couple had chosen a rich chocolate cake, covered in dark chocolate ganache and beautifully decorated with strawberries and raspberries – and, of course, blueberries.

It was no surprise that Cole had been drooling over it – not literally, luckily – for most of the evening. And now, it was _finally_ time to get a taste of the masterpiece.

Together, the newlyweds cut a generous slice from the bottom tier and placed it on a dessert plate. Jay took a small cake fork to feed a little piece to his wife, before she did the same for him.

They then handed the 'tools' over to the hotel staff who would continue to cut and serve the cake to the wedding guests.

"I said you are not getting any cake." Jay was telling the Master of Earth, who was at the very front of the queue.

"And what does your wife say about this?" Cole asked back.

"She says to leave her out of this." Nya replied, more focused on finishing her own piece of cake than on the two quarrelling men. "If you want cake, you'll have to sort it out with Jay."

"And I'd recommend you do sort it out soon before the whole thing is gone; it's delicious." Kai chimed in. "You don't want to miss out on this... mmmh." He teased his cake-loving teammate.

"C'mon, you can't do that to me." Cole pleaded to his best friend. "I've been waiting for this since the two of you got engaged... and it's _chocolate_!"

"Your husband is playing a dangerous game here, nothing should get between Cole and his cake..." Kai turned to his sister, as the two friends continued to argue. "But I am glad to see that you are able to enjoy your food again."

"Me too. And I was really craving something sweet." Nya happily plucked a chocolate dipped strawberry from the cake. "So, you weren't joking about the Water Ninja cake toppers being sold out..." She remarked, eyeing the two plastic figurines standing on the top tier.

"Nope." Kai shook his head. "Apparently, our fans went crazy about the Ninja-style bride and groom marzipan figures and we just couldn't get any ourselves. Believe me, we've tried everything. But we had to go with these _Airjitzu_ action figures of you and Jay instead... at least, we got the good ones that can actually fly. We may have tried that as well..." He smiled awkwardly. "Hope you still like it."

Nya smilingly put down her empty plate and embraced her brother. "Thanks, Kai. It's great, I love it."

"Everything for my favourite sister." He hugged back.

"Alright, you win. I agree that you do deserve a reward for your persistence. So here you go. Enjoy!" The siblings heard Jay exclaim. They pulled apart and turned around, just in time to see the Master of Lightning smash a piece of chocolate cake into the black Ninja's face.

"Whoohoo, I've got cake." Cole cheered, not bothered at all about the fact that some of it had gotten onto his brand new black jacket and his white shirt. His girlfriend immediately rushed to his aide, offering him some napkins. "I don't need any tissue _yet_ , all I need right now is a spoon and a mirror." Cole insisted. "Not going to let this go to waste. Especially as _he_ probably won't give me any more..."

"You are absolutely right about this." Jay stated, crossing his arms. "But I gave you an extra big slice." He smiled at the other.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate that." Cole replied, grinning widely, before he and Seliel walked back to their table and sat down to enjoy their treat.

* * *

After he had finished his 'slice' and cleaned his face and outfit, the black Ninja again asked for everyone's attention.

"Now that we have all had plenty of delicious food and most importantly cake, we should probably do a bit of exercise." He announced. "I would therefore like to ask the happy couple to open the dance floor. And would you please all join me here to watch them – and to count how many times Jay is going to step on Nya's toes."

"Hey." Jay protested. "I am not that bad."

"I am just kidding." Cole chuckled. "Jay is actually a more than capable dancer, and he's had a great teacher. But before we let him and Nya show off their dancing skills, I would like to say a few words about the song they have selected for this occasion. It is an a-cappella song by the _Royal Blacksmiths_." Cole smiled at Lou, who was among the guests. "And when I told my dad that my teammates and dear friends chose one of his old songs, he was really touched and wanted to prepare a special surprise for them. Unfortunately, the other three _Royal Blacksmiths_ couldn't make it tonight, but they have recorded a new version of ' _Only You_ ' for, well, only you two. But you don't have to worry, it's still a slow dance."

"That was a very nice wedding gift from your father." Zane remarked, as the two friends watched the bride and groom dance their first dance as a married couple. "And I find it very impressive how his _quartet_ has managed to sing the song in _five_ voices."

"I, uhm, haven't noticed that..." Cole blushed. "I-I guess they are just this good."

"You are probably right about that." Zane shot him a knowing look. "And you are a really great friend."

"Thanks. So are you. Especially when you don't mention this to the others." The Master of Earth said to Nindroid. "But you must please excuse me now, I am going to burn off some calories as well." He added, noticing that Jay and Nya's parents as well as the bride's brother and his girlfriend had already joined the couple on the dance floor for the next song. He took off his jacket and coolly tossed it over the nearest chair, before he turned to the pink-haired woman on his other side. "May I have this dance, Miss Seliel?" He asked, offering his arm.

"You may, Mr Brookstone. Let's show them how this is done." Seliel took his arm, and off they went.

* * *

It was already in the early hours of the morning, when the last guests had finally left the party, and only the nine rather tired friends were sitting (well, more or less so) around one of the tables.

"I'd say we hit the sack, too." Jay had his arm wrapped around his new wife who was leaning against him, resting her head on her husband's shoulders. "It's been a long day. And Nya and I shouldn't get up to late tomorrow – or today – otherwise we won't make it very far from the mainland before nightfall."

"If I were you, I wouldn't complain about how stressful _your_ day of sailing a luxurious yacht is going to be." Cole told his brother-in-arms. "Because the rest of us will have to help clean up this place..."

"And I don't think we can count too much on our parents to join in." Kai remarked. "Even though they may be kind of related now, I don't think I'll _ever_ let mum and dad drink with Jay's parents again."

"But on the other hand, it was nice to see them all get along so well with each other." Lloyd stated. "My mum has been through a lot recently, so I was very happy to see her relax and simply enjoy the evening. Not sure she will enjoy the day tomorrow though..." He mumbled.

"Shall we just agree that we _all_ have a busy day ahead of us and call it a night?" Skylor proposed.

"This is a very reasonable suggestion." Zane nodded.

"Let's forget about being reasonable, this is the first time today that _we_ get to spend some time together, just the team plus our friends and partners, and I would like to enjoy this moment for a bit longer." The Master of Fire said. "Just lemme get something. I'll be back in a sec, okay?" He got up from his seat and walked over to the now deserted bar.

"So, how does it feel to be married?" Cole asked his best friend.

"Great so far. Apart from this." Jay replied, showing his hand with the wedding band. "It feels kinda tight, are you sure they gave us the right ring size?"

"I am. You've just never worn a ring before, I'm sure you'll get used to it." Nya said tiredly.

"It is probably supposed to feel restricting. _Ouch._ " The black Ninja joked, earning a hard nudge from his girlfriend.

" _You_ will never find out if you keep saying stuff like that." Jay retorted.

"I seem to be hearing that a lot today." Cole remarked. "But it's not _our_ turn yet anyway." At this comment, all eyes turned to the nindroid couple, P.I.X.A.L. was still holding Nya's bouquet in her silver hands.

"I am still amazed by how you did that." Seliel commented. "It was an absolutely perfect catch."

"When Nya tossed the bouquet, I calculated its trajectory. And after my analysis revealed that she was not aiming at anyone, I simply took my chance to catch it myself." The female robot explained. "But this is _not_ an obligation, of course." A hint of disappointment could be heard in her voice.

"I have been programmed to respect both the law and our country's traditions." Zane replied, taking one of his girlfriend's hands into his. "And this will be by far the most enjoyable rule I have ever dealt with. If you agree, that is."

"There is absolutely no reason to disagree." P.I.X.A.L. smiled at him. "You are the only one I will ever be compatible with."

"Awww." The other three woman cooed, just as Kai returned to the table. He was carrying a tray with a bottle as well as nine shot glasses.

"What's going on here? Did I miss anything?" He wondered.

"Yeah, sorta. Congratulations, tin can." Cole gave his friend a pat on the back.

"Dangit, how can those two make this sound so easy?" Jay complained. "Congrats, you two."

"Wait, you mean we have even more reason to celebrate now?" Kai raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no, it would be wrong to make _any_ announcement of this kind on somebody else's wedding day." P.I.X.A.L. stated. "I would not want to steal the bride and groom's _thunder_ , as people say."

"Oh, please, don't worry about us. We've had more than enough of _that_..." Nya insisted.

"Maybe you could arrange a private meeting with Mr Borg on one of the next days for me, my dear?" Zane requested.

"I will be very happy to do that."

"And I will be very happy to share this final drink with you tonight." Kai announced, filling the glasses with the clear liquid and passing them on to his friends. "C'mon, let's end this night in style. To the _two_ happy couples – if you want it or not." He grinned at Zane and P.I.X.A.L.

The pregnant bride gave a pleading look at Skylor and Seliel. All day, she had managed to avoid drinking alcohol without raising any suspicions (or at least she hoped), thanks to some help from her husband and her close friends.

"Uhm, I think we've had more than enough." The red-haired Master of Amber stated, faking a yawn. "I don't think I could possibly drink anymore tonight."

"Well, I agree with Kai." Lloyd piped up, raising his glass.

" _You_ shouldn't be drinking at all, pipsqueak." Jay said to the Green Ninja. "What's your chronological age again?"

"My chronological age doesn't prevent me from being your _Sensei_ or stop me from having some drinks with you yesterday evening." Lloyd retorted. "Although it might have had something to do with me sleeping on the couch last night, because I didn't make it upstairs to my room."

"Well, I would prefer if we all made it to our rooms tonight. By the way, I am not that tired yet..." Seliel winked seductively at her boyfriend.

Cole was obviously torn between the two options ahead of him. "C'mon, it's not gonna take very long anyway. The drink, I mean." To prove a point, he quickly emptied his own glass.

"So, what do _you_ say, Nya?" Kai looked at her. "This is your day, so it's your decision. _To drink or not to drink, that is the question."_

"I'd rather not."

"And why not?" Kai kept his gaze fixed at his younger sister. "Is there _anything_ you would like to tell us?"

"Wh-why would you think that?" Nya blushed.

"No idea." He smirked. "But unless you give me a good reason not to, I will insist on sharing this moment and this drink with my little sister and my brother-in-law."

"You can drink whatever you want, but I'm _not_ going to, because..." Nya sighed. "I am pregnant." She admitted.

"See, it wasn't so hard to say." He smiled at her. "Congratulations, sis."

"Why are you not mad?" Nya wondered. "Wait, you knew, didn't you?"

"I swear I didn't say anything to him." Skylor chimed in.

"Why should I be mad?" Kai asked back. "I may _sometimes_ be an overprotective, hot-headed idiot, but I am _always_ your brother who wants you to be happy. And I've know for quite a while now that and Jay wanted to start your own family. So I've had more than enough time to get used to the idea that it would happen sooner or later." He explained.

"And yes, I kinda knew. I have taken care of you since you were three, so I would recognise the sound of you throwing up _anywhere_ , which means I know that you've been sick every morning for the last week and a half. Sure, first I thought it was just from the stress. Same for your mood swings. But then I got suspicious when you didn't take any of your favourite sushi this afternoon – and then later, you had that massive piece of chocolate cake. So, I kept a bit of an eye on you and saw you swapping glasses with Sky and Sel all evening."

"Yeah, about that..." The Phantom Ninja threw in. "Cole caught me finishing your drink, so I had to tell him... I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I wouldn't want your boyfriend to think that you have a drinking problem because of me... I do appreciate your help."

"And when I woke up this morning, I heard you and Zane talking in the kitchen." Lloyd told the groom. "Who do you think helped him put you on the sofa after you'd passed out?"

"You did _what_?" Nya gasped. "Weren't you the one who kept telling me to stay calm and not to worry?"

"But I was still a bit overwhelmed by the news..." Jay sheepishly rubbed his neck.

"A _bit_?" Lloyd chuckled.

"Speaking of being overwhelmed... we don't want to tell our parents until after the honeymoon. Let them come down from the wedding first." Nya said.

"No problem, I understand. But even if you had told them tonight, I don't think they would remember it tomorrow anyway." Kai laughed. "But now that we've got that out of the way, can we finally have our drink?"

"Uhm, what part of _I am pregnant_ did you not understand? You seemed to be fairly well informed about the symptoms earlier on."

"Just try it." He smirked.

Nya smelled at the glass before taking a small sip. "It's _water_."

"I was surprised that you didn't recognise your own element. Sis, I just wanted to get you to tell us about the baby, but I would have never put the health of my niece or nephew at risk."

"Niece." Jay insisted.

"10 on a boy." Seliel retorted.

"20 on a girl." Lloyd presented the note he had earlier received from Cole.

"I am with Sel." As Skylor also joined in, Nya briefly flicked her wrist, using her elemental powers to make the content of Kai's glass splash in his face. "Love ya, _uncle_ Kai." She flashed him a gorgeous smile.

"Love ya too, little sis." He smiled back. "You're going to be a great mum, Nya."

After the friends had finished placing their bets and their 'shots' of water, they finally agreed to retire.

"Do I have to carry you up all the way the stairs, or can we take the lift?" Jay asked worriedly as he picked up his wife bridal style.

"Lift is fine I guess." His wife agreed. After all, their suite was on the top floor. "Good night, everyone."

"Yeah, you better preserve some of your energy, Jay. You surely want to find out where Nya has hidden her other _something blue_..." The black Ninja called after them, his arm wrapped around his girlfriend's waist.

"Cole, do you _have_ to keep saying that kind of stuff?" Kai whined.

"C'mon, they are married. And having a baby... I thought you were happy for them."

"Yes, but I still don't need to know the details."

As Kai turned away from his smirking friend, he noticed that their youngest team member had stayed behind and was still sitting at the table on his own.

"If you want to go ahead, I'll be upstairs with you in a minute, okay?" Kai planted a kiss on Skylor's lips. "I love you, babe."

"I love you too, hot stuff."

Kai walked back into the room and placed a hand on the Green Ninja's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He asked his honorary little brother.

"Yeah, it's just... I was never interested in a relationship before, but now that I see all you couples so happy together, I cannot help but feel a bit lonely. And I am wondering if I am ever going to find someone special myself." Lloyd admitted, his eyes fixed at the blue flowers in the centre of the table.

"I am absolutely sure about that." Kai gave him an encouraging smile. "Zane and P.I.X.A.L. may make it look easy, but remember how long it took Jay and Nya to sort their things out. And it took even longer for me and Cole to just find the right women for us. And believe me, they _all_ were definitely worth the wait."

* * *

 **Phew, I finally managed to finish the wedding storyline that I started over three months ago with the** _ **Weekend for Four**_ **story - and I need to thank LGOE for contributing some of the ideas.**

 **Also, the bit with the cake fight was suggested by Rainbowaly03. I didn't want Nya to get chocolate cake on her dress, and Jay and Lloyd had already 'suffered' in TGNBO, so Cole was the logical choice. And he enjoyed it ;).**

 **A few more remarks:**

 **Lloyd is rumoured to get a girlfriend in season 8, which is why I chose this ending.**

 **In this storyline, the Ninja and their girlfriends are around 20 (apparently, they were 'in their late teens' during the latest season);** **I am from Germany where you can legally drink from the age of 16** **.**

 **The song I used for the couple's first dance, _Only You_** **', is an a-capella song by** _ **The Flying Pickets**_ **(it is sooo much better than the original, which is proper 80's pop...).** **I chose this song, because I like a-cappella music and this is one of my favourites (but it is incredibly difficult to stay in then right key!), and I find it very fitting for them. And it is a very popular wedding song (although some people also interpret it as a sad breakup song)! But I just love it.**

 **Thanks again for reading xx**


	18. Something Blue (Alternative Ending)

**This is a slightly extended ending to** ** _Something Blue._ I had this scene in the first draft of the previous chapter, ****but then removed it from the final version.**

* * *

"Love ya too, little sis." Kai smiled back. "You're going to be a great mum, Nya."

"So, Nya. Now that you have already revealed your big secret, you can also tell us what you chose as your _something blue_ today? Other than Jay, that is." Cole enquired, after the friends had finished placing their bets on the baby's gender and had all emptied their 'shots' of water. "Or is this for your husband's eyes only?"

"No, this is not a secret at all." Nya replied with a smile. "Sky, can you please help me?" She addressed her maid of honour, who got up to assist her best friend take off her waist-length ivory veil.

"How many of these things have they used?" Kai wondered, as his girlfriend carefully removed one hairpin after the other from the bride's raven hair, handing them to Nya.

"I counted ten this morning." P.I.X.A.L. replied, just as Skylor finished her task.

"Her you go." Nya placed a small pile of said items on the table.

"You used _blue_ hairpins?" Lloyd wondered.

"Mum made them for me." Nya explained, as Kai took one of the pins and inspected it.

"Great work." He remarked. "And they were made from... blue wire."

Jay gave his wife a questioning look. "Is this...?"

"Yes, it is." Nya smiled at her husband. "Once I blanked out your and Cole's stupid arguing as well as my messed-up emotions and started to think rationally just for once, it was a very easy and straightforward decision. That was your parents' place, of course they would use blue for everything _important_. I am surprised that you've never asked them about it. And while it didn't mean anything to me at that time, I still kept it."

She distributed the pins under her friends. "Here, you all can have one. For _your_ good luck. As Cole has correctly said earlier, I have my very own something blue. And yes, I _might_ also be wearing something else that I'm definitely not going to show you here in public..." She winked at her husband.

"I think we should _really_ call it a night now." Jay stated eagerly as he swooped his wife into his arms. "Do I have to carry you up all the way the stairs, or can we take the lift?"

"Lift is fine I guess." She agreed. After all, their suite was on the top floor. "Good night, everyone."

"Yeah, you better preserve some of your energy, Jay, if you want to find out more about Nya's other _something blue_..." The black Ninja called after them, his arm wrapped around his own girlfriend's waist.

"Cole, do you have to keep saying that kind of stuff?" Kai whined.

"C'mon, they are married. And having a baby... I thought you were happy for them."

"Yes, but I still don't need to know the details."

As Kai turned away from his smirking friend, he noticed that their youngest team member had stayed behind and was still sitting at the table on his own.

"If you want to go ahead, I'll be upstairs with you in a minute, okay?" Kai planted a kiss on Skylor's lips. "I love you, babe."

"I love you too, hot stuff."

Kai walked back into the room and placed a hand on the Green Ninja's shoulder.

"Are you okay?" He asked his honorary little brother.

"Yeah, it's just... I was never interested in a relationship before, but now that I see all you couples so happy together, I cannot help but feel a bit lonely. And I am wondering if I am ever going to find someone special myself." Lloyd admitted, his eyes fixed at the _two_ blue hairpins lying in front of him.

"I am absolutely sure about that." Kai gave him an encouraging smile. "Zane and P.I.X.A.L. may make it look easy, but remember how long it took Jay and Nya to sort their things out. And it took even longer for me and Cole to just find the right women for us. And believe me, all of them were _definitely_ worth the wait."


	19. Merry Christmas !

**Just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas ! Hope you had / are still having some wonderful holidays xx**

 **This Christmassy one-shot is set after _Hands of Time_ (but not related to my main storyline). I was going to post it sooner but had some trouble uploading to the Doc Manager...**

* * *

Deck the Halls

"Not _again_." Nya groaned, as Zane planted a quick and rather metallic cold peck on her cheek. It was not even lunch time and the female Ninja had already been kissed at least once by almost every member of the team on this Christmas Eve morning. Except for one that is.

"My apologies, Nya." The Nindroid replied. "I am just following the rules."

"I know." She smiled at him, knowing all too well that this was not _his_ fault.

During the night, _someone_ – and the Master of Water had a small hunch who that could have been – had hung small mistletoes all over the _Temple of Airjitzu_ , and in particular over the raven-haired girl's favourite places. Strangely enough, she had not seen her boyfriend all morning, which was kinda worrying, considering he normally would never miss out on an opportunity to kiss her, very much to her brother's dismay.

So, where _was_ Jay?

Although she was still slightly mad at him about this prank (which she assumed this was), Nya decided to find the blue-clad Ninja. Carefully avoiding the kitchen where the black Ninja was cooking, well, _something_ , she started looking at the most likely place. She cracked open the door to the new game room on the first floor, only to find her brother and Lloyd engaged in a fierce battle playing ' _Fist to Face VII_ '.

"Hi guys. Has anyone seen Jay?" She enquired.

"Sorry, sis. We've been hiding in here since breakfast. Could someone please take down those _things_?" Kai complained. Nya supressed a giggle, remembering Kai's face when he had bumped into Misako in the wrong place and at the wrong time – meaning with four of his teammates around to witness (and record) it.

"Or maybe we should invite _Skylor_?" Lloyd teased him.

"No way, I don't want my girlfriend to accidentally get kissed by my brothers – or it could even be my sister, she seems to be very popular today." The red Ninja pulled a disgusted face.

"Why, are you worried that she'll find out I'm a better kisser than you?" The Green Ninja smirked.

"You are not." Kai retorted.

"Yes, I am."

"Are not. I bet you have never kissed anyone."

"Not true."

"Well, you'll have the chance to find out how good you are. Looks like you've missed one..." Nya grinned, pointing at the green spring hanging just above the two bickering Ninja.

"Sis, I'll give you an amazingly wonderful Christmas present if you could please ignore that one."

"I hope I will anyway, but okay. I am quite fed up with all that kissing myself..."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "Since when?" He asked, remembering all those times that he'd caught Nya and Jay making out at random places. "Weren't you the one looking for her boyfriend just a minute ago?"

Nya blushed. "That's something completely different." She insisted. "Uhm, gotta go now." The Water Ninja turned on the spot and fled from the room.

"When you find him, please remember to lock the door this time." She heard Lloyd call after her.

Nya dashed along the corridor and didn't stop until she had reached the door to the blue Ninja's room. This was a rather unlikely place for the Master of Lightning to spend his free time, but now that she was already here, she might as well give it a shot.

"Jay?" She knocked on the door. "Are you in here?"

"Ju-just a minute." To her big surprise, she received an answer from the other side. Waiting (im)patiently outside the door, Nya could her someone rummaging inside the room, it sounded like he was trying to put something away. As if she wasn't used to the mess in his room...

Finally, she heard steps approaching the door. This sound was only briefly interrupted by a * _thud_ * followed by a wince, but then continued until the door finally opened.

Jay grinned at her, sheepishly rubbing his left elbow. "Good morning, beautiful." He moved his face closer to hers in order to greet her with a kiss.

But Nya vigorously shook her head. "First of all, it's almost noon. And secondly, I've already been kissed _14 times_ today. This must be the only mistletoe-free room in the whole temple, which means I _finally_ get a break now."

Jay smirked. "So, you've found my little surprise?"

"It was hard not to." Nya retorted. "What was that about? And why are you hiding in your room on your – _our_ day off?"

"You see, I've spent all morning on your Christmas present, and I'd thought I'd create a little distraction. I got up really early to put up the _decorations_ , then went to collect your present, and I've only just returned a couple of minutes ago. And it seems to have worked, from the sounds of it you've been very _busy_ this morning. And I was sure you'd be annoyed with me long enough that you would not go looking for me until after I'm back."

"You know me too well..." Nya sighed.

"Is that such a bad thing?" Jay cocked an eyebrow. "But now that we have a moment alone – which probably won't happen again until after the holidays – I might as well give you your gift now. Can you please close your eyes for a moment?"

Nya did as she was asked to. She heard Jay walk back to his desk, open and close the drawer, and return to her. Something cold was gently placed around her neck, before she could feel Jay's lips briefly brush her cheek. "I love you, Nya. And I'm going to kiss you now, with or without a mistletoe." He whispered.

Her eyes still pressed together, the female Ninja instantly reacted by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him into a deep kiss. Not only was she trained to function blindly when necessary, but also had she memorised all her boyfriend's features well enough not to be in any way affected by the lack of eyesight.

"I love you too. But please don't do that again. And you might want to avoid my brother..." Nya placed a hand on her chest to feel the small oddly shaped object that was hanging on a chain around her neck.

"Alright." Jay lovingly smiled at her. "What happened to Kai - or _who_ happened? And, uhm, why don't we go somewhere more _private_?" He suggested, referring to the fact that they were still standing in the doorframe.

"Even better, I have it on my phone. I'll show you, but first I want to have a look at my present." She followed the blue Ninja inside his room, closing and, as requested, locking the door behind her.

Nya looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror wardrobe door. A simple golden necklace with a beautiful pendant shaped like a dragon with ruby eyes was around her neck.

"Wow." She gasped. "It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you." From behind, Jay wrapped his arms around her. "And before you tell me off again for spending too much money on you, your parents didn't charge me anything for their labour."

"My _parents_ have made this?"

"Yes, Did you know that they are really amazing goldsmiths? And they were very happy to have to opportunity of creating something other than helmets and armours for snakes. I only had to do the design, with some help from Zane and P.I.X.A.L., and provide the materials."

" _Only_?" Nya was impressed. "You never cease to amaze me."

"Thanks." Jay blushed. "I am glad you like it."

"Like it? I love it." She beamed at him. "And I love you."

Just as the couple were about to kiss again, a loud * _bang_ * on the closed door interrupted them.

"Break it up, lovebirds." Cole's voice boomed. "Lunch is served. And you will _love_ it. It's salmon  & mincemeat en croûte, another marvellous Brookstone creation especially for Christmas."

"Sounds... uhm, delicious." Jay replied. "We'll be downstairs in a minute."

He turned to his girlfriend. "Which way to the dining room do you want to take? The one with or without the mistletoes?"

"The one with each and every single one of them." Nya replied with a smile.


	20. Breaking the News (Part 1)

Breaking the News (Part 1)

"Sis, mum just called." Kai yelled through the Temple of Airjitzu. "Dad is just parking the car, so Cole and I are going to now going down on our dragons to bring them up here."

The very remote location of the Ninja's new headquarters on a floating island was both a blessing and a curse. While it helped keeping enemies and fans away, it also made it rather difficult for their actually wanted guests – like the mailman, their parents, and of course Kai and Cole's girlfriends – to pay them a visit.

And while she had felt perfectly fine sailing through wind and weather during her honeymoon, the pregnant Water Ninja was suffering from severe motion sickness riding her dragon. Therefore, the Master of Earth had offered to go down with Kai to bring the siblings' parents up to the temple.

"Okay, thanks." Nya shouted back. "Take your time." She added in a more quiet voice, as she nervously checked her reflection in the mirror for the umpteenth time that morning. In honour of her parents, she had chosen a short fire red silk Cheongsam dress delicately embroidered with sea blue floral details.

"You look beautiful." Jay wrapped his arms around his wife from behind. "And don't worry, you _really_ can't see anything yet." He reassured her, gently placing his hand on her flat stomach.

"But then, why don't we just wait a bit longer before we tell them?" Nya asked, interlacing their fingers. "Like a few more weeks... or maybe months?"

The couple had returned from their honeymoon a few days ago, and were now busy catching up with their friends and families. And they had some news to share with them...

"Because we've agreed that we would tell Maya and Ray today, before we go see my parents tomorrow. Too many people already know about the baby, and I don't want _either_ of our parents to find out from a third party."

Nya turned in his embrace. "Or maybe you are just so bad at keeping a secret that you are afraid you will accidentally spill it otherwise..." She teased her husband, planting a kiss on his reddening cheek.

"That _might_ be another reason, yes." Jay admitted. "Now, c'mon, we should go meet your parents outside. After all, they are here to see you."

"To see _us_." Nya corrected him, taking his hand. As they stepped outside, they could already see the Fire and Earth Dragons, carrying two persons each, approach the temple grounds. After flying a couple of turns around the temple, they landed safely in front of the red brick building. Kai and Cole dispelled their Elemental Dragons as Nya and Jay rushed down the stairs to greet her mother and father.

"It's not as much fun as flying ourselves, but I still enjoy a little ride on a dragon." Maya laughed, her long dark hair slightly tousled from the flight. "Your son is almost as good as you were." She affectionately told her husband.

"Almost?" Kai protested. "If that's what you think, then you can see how you're going to get down again."

"We can see about that later, my son. We haven't come all the way up here here just to worry about going home." His mother stated. "I want to spend some time with my children first." She embraced her daughter. "Nya, my dear. You look amazing, marriage must be treating you well. And I am sure, so does your husband." Maya winked at her.

"Thanks, mum." Nya smiled. "Yes, we are doing great." She then turned to give her father a hug and a kiss on his bearded cheek, while Jay was wrapped in a firm embrace by his mother-in-law.

Soon, the blacksmith couple, their daughter, and her husband were comfortably seated in the Ninja's sitting room, enjoying a glass of Zane's homemade lemonade while sharing stories and looking at pictures from the newly married couple's honeymoon.

"Oh, I have never been to these islands that far off the mainland. They are absolutely beautiful. And I can see that you two had a wonderful holiday." Maya eyed at her daughter. "I was getting really worried about you those last few days before the wedding. You were so stressed and obviously not feeling well, so I am glad you look a lot more relaxed now. And I hope you have regained your appetite..."

"Yeah, more or less." Nya blushed. "Uhm, there is something I-we need to tell you." She took a deep breath. "Mum, dad. I am pregnant."

While Ray didn't say anything and just glared at his son-in-law, Maya excitedly jumped up to wrap both Nya and Jay in a suffocating hug. "Oh, that's wonderful news, darling." She squealed. "How far along are you?"

"About eight weeks." Nya replied.

Her father narrowed his eyes. "You must have somehow recovered those _Time Blades_ , because as far as _I_ remember you only got married _three_ weeks ago..." He finally stated, earning a playful nudge from his wife.

"Oh, cheer up, darling. As if anyone from _our_ families ever believed the Kai was born three months prematurely..." Maya reprimanded her husband.

"But we were older than these kids. You are way too young to have a child."

"Dad, I am almost 20." Nya said.

"Thank you for reminding me that we have missed over 15 years of your life." Ray stood up from his seat, straightening his shirt. "Will you please excuse me for a moment, I would like to be alone."

The other three watched slack jawed as he stormed out of the room.

"Don't worry about your father. He can be a little bit hotheaded sometimes, with a tendency to overreact, but he's going to be fine. We should give him a couple of minutes to cool down." Maya tried to cheer up her upset daughter.

"That sounds oddly familiar..." Jay remarked, placing his hand on his wife's shoulder in a placating manner. "Listen, I'm quickly gonna pop to the kitchen and check with Zane about lunch, so you two can have a moment to yourselves, okay?"

"Thanks, hun." Nya flashed him a grateful smile, happy to get some mother-daughter time.

"You really think dad will be okay about this?" Nya asked. "I have never seen him so upset."

"Of course, he will. It's just quite a lot to take for us, you know?" Maya explained. "All these years, we kept worrying how you and Kai would be faring, and then, finally we were able to see that you have grown up into two wonderful young adult - without us. And now that your father has just gotten over you being a married woman, he is becoming a grandfather... no, you're definitely not a little child anymore." She smiled. "Let's give him a few more minutes, then you can try talking to him again, okay?"

"Okay." Nya nodded.

"Now, tell me, how do you feel?"

"I'm still having pretty bad morning sickness, but I'm okay-ish with eating normally during the day. Some weird cravings, but I guess that's kinda normal." Nya said. "But you were absolutely right, the holidays came just at the right time. All that pre-wedding stress definitely didn't help." She grinned. "But at least I can now blame my horrible mood back then on the baby, and nobody can be mad at me about that anymore."

"Oh, honey. No one would have blamed you for that anyway. Getting married is quite stressful, and one can easily get slightly _irritable_. And you were not the worst by far. The most horrible bridezilla _I_ have ever encountered was actually Libby, Jay's birth mother."

"Thanks, mum." Nya smiled tiredly. "I will for sure tell him should that topic ever come up again."

"By the way, how did _he_ take the big news?" Over the past couple of months, Maya had gotten to know Jay well enough to be well aware of his high-strung personality.

"Well, it's not like it was an accident, we both really wanted this to happen." Nya blushed. "Sure, it came as a bit of a shock when we found out literally just before the wedding, but Jay is really happy about it now. As am I. I am just worried he is becoming a bit too protective of me, slowly turning into Kai in that matter..."

"Sometimes men don't understand that pregnancy is a completely normal thing and not a disease. But you still need to take it easy."

"Don't worry, I've been missing out on sunrise exercise anyway, just because I feel too awful in the mornings, but I am not going to stop all my training. I actually did a good bit of swimming when we were on the boat."

"I used to do that as well, when I had Kai and you." Maya agreed. "It might just be a bit difficult to do it up here."

"Well, we were talking about fixing the pool on the Gordon estate anyway."

The Ninja had started to use the luxurious mansion quite regularly, whenever they had time off or they needed to be closer to the city.

"And it's so funny, Jay is totally convinced that the baby is a girl." Nya chuckled.

"It won't be much longer until you know for sure."

"No, we are not going to find out the baby's gender during the scan." The Master of Water shook her head.

"Why that?" Maya enquired.

"Because I am afraid to find out that Jay is right." Nya sighed. "Not that I wouldn't want to have a daughter, of course. But my child will not be gender stereotyped before he or she is even born. You have no idea what I had to go through for being the ' _Girl Ninja_ '. While the 'real' Ninja got to show off their fighting skills, I was asked to give advice on make up and talk about my relationships. That almost destroyed all those feelings I still secretly had for Jay at that time..."

Nya swallowed hard. "No, I really wouldn't mind knowing, but I am kinda scared of what's gonna happen when the public gets wind of my pregnancy. People went absolutely crazy about our wedding – in good and bad ways – we even had to rehire Dareth just to look through our mail, because some of Jay's fans were apparently not too happy about it."

"Oh, Nya. Why did you never tell us?" Maya was shocked.

"Because we didn't want you - or anyone - to worry about it. And the majority of the mail was very nice, we got lovely cards and even some presents. And once they find out about us having baby, they'll probably do the same again. But I don't want people to send us pink stuff – sure, I wouldn't mind blue – or any gender-specific toys. If my daughter wants to play with tools, that's great."

"She'll be just like her mother." Maya smiled.

"And if my son wants to wear a princess dress and play with dolls, that's okay as well." Nya shrugged. She chuckled. "And no, he'd _not_ be 'just like his dad'. Although that would have been sooo cute."

"Oh, I am sure Edna would have shown us lots of pictures of that." Her mother laughed. "But you could still find out the gender and just keep a secret."

" _I_ could, but my husband can't." Nya said. "And especially not if he turns out to be right... so, we'll just let it be a surprise. And as long as the baby is healthy, I really don't mind."

"Whatever you choose, it will be the best for you and your child." Maya hugged her daughter. "I trust you to be a great mother."

Nya's face fell. "But dad doesn't..."

"That's not true." Maya insisted. "I am 100% sure that he will be just as happy for you and Jay once he has gotten over the shock."

"You think it is safe to talk to him now?"

"I'd say so." The former Master of Water replied. "Go, talk to your father. And I'll see what your brother is doing."

Nya found the male blacksmith sitting on a low wall overlooking Zane's well-organised herb garden – ironically, this was her own favourite spot on the whole floating island as well. She could see that he was looking at something in his hand.

"Hey, dad." Nya gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Mind if I join you?"

"No, not at all." He answered, so Nya sat down next to him. "What do you have there?" She asked.

Ray handed her an old, wrinkled photo showing the _Smith_ family, it must have been taken just a few weeks before he and his wife had been abducted by Krux' _alter persona_ Dr Saunders.

"It really wasn't your fault, you only went with him to protect your children." Nya told him. "And Kai took good care of us."

"I know that honey, but I am still sad to have missed all these years with you and your brother." He gave her a weak smile. "And now... you are a beautiful grown up woman, married to a great guy – but don't tell him I've said that, he should still be a little bit afraid of me – and a baby on the way. I have learned my lesson not to mess with time, but sometimes I wish I could go back to being that young man and father of my two adorable little kids."

"You are still a young man, dad." Nya stated.

"Oh, I know that. I have experienced what it is like to feel old, and I am still far away from that." Ray remembered the effects of his encounter with the _Forward Blade_. "It's more that I feel to young to be a grandfather."

"But it will be a lot more fun like this. You don't want to have grandchildren when you are too old to do anything with them, do you?"

"Nya, that's exactly the point." Ray suddenly sounded upset again. "I-I just don't know what I'll do with them _at all_. I have probably prepared enough bottles and _definitely_ changed more than enough nappies to remember how to do that, but anything that comes after that... I didn't get to help you or Kai do your homework, I never had to ground you for coming home late, I-I don't know how to say no, I don't know how to make you eat your vegetables - well, good thing you have Edna for that now. And I still can't be mad at you, no matter how hard I try."

"Even now?"

"Even now." Ray confirmed. "I just want to hug and spoil you. And I will want to spoil my grandchild."

"I could really use a hug." Nya said, and Ray happily wrapped his arms around her. "But dad." She mumbled in his chest. "You know you don't have to do all those things, right? Grandparents are supposed to be fun. You can spoil them as much as you want. And they will stay with you on the weekends or for the holidays, so you can let them stay up until late because they won't have school the next day - which means no homework either. Let them eat whatever they want and send them back home when they get a stomach ache from all that junk. And all these things will make you the best granddad ever. And... even though you weren't around for quite a long time, you are still the best father I have ever had. I love you, dad." She sniffed.

"I love you too, baby girl." Ray smiled.

"I might change my mind if you keep calling me that."

"But you will always my little girl. Even when you will soon have your own baby."

"Alright." She nodded. "Just not in front of the others, okay?"

"Deal."

"Are you alright to go back?" Nya suggested. "I am starving."

"Okay, honey boo." Ray chuckled.

"Daaad!"

* * *

 **There will be a second part with Jay's parents :).**


	21. Breaking the News (Part 2)

**Aaand another update... as said before, I have a lot to catch up on :).**

 **Couldn't find a better chapter title, so I've just called it Part 2** 😄 **. If anyone has another suggestion, please let me know!**

 **Continuing from the previous author' Note, this is the last one-shot related to this storyline in this book. I really want to continue this storyline, but just not exclusively for this couple, so it will be continued in a separate book. And that one will then lead up to yet another upcoming book... [I am working on** **a _Next Gen_ fic (the winner of a poll on wattpad), the first part of that will focus on the Ninja's kids as little children.]**

 **As for this book, I am of course still going to continue writing one-shots for my favourite couple, and if you have any requests/suggestions, please send them to me (PM for registered users please).**

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Breaking the News (Part 2)

"How are you feeling, Nya?" Jay turned his head to face the rather pale raven-haired woman sitting behind him. "Holding up alright?"

Flying through the _Sea of Sands_ , the newly married couple were on their way to see Jay's parents for lunch – and to share some exciting news with them. But Nya was not feeling very hungry right now.

"Stop moving around." She groaned, struggling to suppress the feeling of nausea rising up her throat.

Even the slightest movement of the Lightning Master caused his elemental dragon to wobble. And needless to say, Nya was not happy about this. She was resting her chin on her husband's shoulder, the arms tightly wrapped around his midsection and her eyes fixed on the horizon straight ahead.

Although she didn't like to depend on anyone else – not even on her husband – the pregnant Water Ninja had agreed to ride with Jay on his Lightning Dragon today, feeling too unwell to control her own or even their hybrid dragon.

"Sorry, love." Jay apologised. He chuckled. "Please don't throw up on me."

"Believe me, I am trying my best." Nya stated dryly. "Although it might be a good training for when we will have a baby..."

"Ugh, not looking forward to that part." Jay remarked, trying to steady his suddenly rather shaky hands. As much as he was ecstatic to start a family with the love of his life, he was also incredibly nervous about the prospect of becoming a father. "You think you'll be okay?"

"Are you talking about having our child puke on me or the visit to your parents?" Nya laughed. For some reason, Jay always found a way to make her feel better, even if it was involuntarily.

"The latter." He replied. "We can worry about the other part at a later stage."

"I agree." Nya smiled. "And don't worry, it should be alright once we're at the junkyard. I've had the same kind of motion sickness coming home from our honeymoon. And I wouldn't want to disappoint your parents."

The older _Walkers_ were very excited to have their son and daughter-in-law over for a visit, they hadn't seen their son and his new wife since their wedding three weeks ago.

"You are right." Jay said fondly. "I love you, Nya."

"I love you too. But I will love you even more, if you promise me a smooth flight back."

When _Ed & Edna's Scrap N Junk_ finally came into sight, Jay slowly descended the dragon and gently landed it right in front of his parents' trailer. He helped Nya slide off before dispelling it.

Nya sighed in relief as her feet finally touched solid ground – or at least the warm sand – again. She waved at her parents-in-law, who must have heard them arrive as they were just coming down the stairs outside their home.

"Hello, son." They waved back. "And Nya, so wonderful to see our lovely new _daughter-in-law_."

Nya smiled happily hearing them address her that way. But as soon as she started to slowly walk over to them, the young woman suddenly started to feel another rush of nausea.

"Oh no, not again..." She muttered, and, pressing a hand over her mouth, rushed past the puzzled Ed and Edna into the trailer.

"Oh, dear. What's the matter with Nya?" Edna asked her son. "Is she not feeling well?"

"Hi dad, Sorry, ma. I'll explain later." Jay gave his mother a quick kiss on her cheek before he sprinted after his wife.

He found her in the small bathroom, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. The Master of Lightning sat down on the side of the bathtub, trying to keep the short black hair out her face with one hand and gently rubbing her back with the other.

"Thank you." Nya said as Jay helped her stand up. He flushed the toilet, while she splashed some cold water in her face. "Can you please give me the toothbrush?" She asked.

Jay handed her a toothbrush and toothpaste Nya had started carrying in her purse.

"I'll be outside, okay?" Jay planted a kiss in her hair and left the room. His parents were sitting on the bench in the main room.

"Is Nya alright?" Edna asked. "I have put on the kettle to make some tea, if she wants."

"Thank you, mum." Jay embraced his mother.

"Thanks, Edna. That would be great." Nya was standing in the doorframe, weakly smiling at the (other) three _Walkers_. "And don't worry, I'm alright."

Despite her claims that she was _perfectly fine_ , the Water Ninja soon found herself on the old, yet still very comfortable couch, her back supported by all the cushions available, and her feet propped up on a stool. A cup of tea and some toast were standing on a small table right next to her.

"I am so sorry." Nya mumbled, carefully nibbling on a slice of toast.

"Oh, don't be. We are sorry to see you unwell." Edna retorted. She and her husband had moved some chairs from the dining table to sit opposite the ailing young woman. "And it's not like we haven't never had that before." She nodded at her son, who sat next on the sofa to his wife. "When this one here was still a little boy, he got sick all the time. Do you remember that one time we went to the funfair and..."

"Yes, how could I ever forget about that?" Jay remarked. "You mention it every single time when someone throws up. Or even when nobody is sick."

"Oh, I _love_ that story." Nya giggled, leaning against him. She had heard it numerous times already.

"Sounds like you are feeling a lot better already." Jay wrapped his arm around her and planted a kiss on her temple.

"How could I not, with all that amazing care?"

"Glad to see you having some colour in your face again." Edna remarked. "I do hope it's nothing serious though. There's a lot of nasty stuff going around at the moment..."

"What?" Ed involuntarily scooted away from the young couple.

"Don't worry, it's not contagious." Nya smiled at him.

"You sure about that?" The elderly inventor was not entirely convinced.

"Absolutely." Nya chuckled. "Although that would be funny..."

Jay removed his arm from her shoulder and gently took her hand into his.

"Mum, dad. We... uhm... well... you know... uhm..." He choked out.

"What my _eloquent_ husband is trying to say." Nya took over. "The reason I haven't been well recently is that... we're having a baby."

"Oh, Nya darling. This is wonderful." Edna excitedly jumped up and towards the sofa. Remembering the other woman's conditions, she embraced both Nya and Jay in a very careful hug. "I am so happy for you two." She exclaimed, a few tears glistening in her eyes as she turned to her husband. "Ed, did you hear that?"

"I did, Edna." Her husband said, slowly moving his chair closer again. "Congratulations, son and Nya. Couldn't be more happy for ye."

"Have you told your brother parents?" Edna wanted to know, sitting down again. "I bet Maya was delighted as well."

"We told them when they were over at the temple yesterday." Nya nodded. "Mum was very happy, yes. Dad, well, not so much at first, but he's fine with it now."

"Ah, he still has more than enough time to get used to the idea." Edna agreed. "How far along are you, by the way?"

"Eight weeks." Nya replied. "I can't wait to get to the second trimester, this so-called _morning sickness_ that sometimes lasts for the whole day is not fun at all." She quickly added, wanting to avoid another discussion about the fact that she had gotten pregnant before she and Jay were married.

"I wish I could give you some advice on that, my dear." Edna told her. "But sadly, Ed and I never got to experience all this ourselves. I won't complain though, we were still blessed with a wonderful adoptive son and a lovely daughter-in-law. And now our family keeps growing again..."

"I am very happy to be a part of your family." Nya smiled. "And don't worry. I am sure you will be able to give us lots of advice when the baby's born."

"Of course, we will support you in any way we can." Edna beamed. "We even should still have some of Jay's old baby stuff lying around somewhere... we can look for them after lunch."

"As you have said yourself, there is still plenty of time before we will need any of that." The Master of Lightning was not too keen on finding out what items exactly his parents had kept. "But on the other hand, it's not that long until lunchtime..."

"You are right, honey." His mother agreed. "I'd better check on my roast. And take care of the vegetables."

"We will help you." Nya offered.

"Oh, no, my dear. You are staying right where you are." Edna insisted. "Ed will set the table, and Jay can give me a hand in the kitchen."

As instructed, the blue Ninja followed his mother into the kitchen.

"Oh, this is just wonderful." She repeated. "You two must be so happy."

And so was Edna. Still remembering how devastated her son – in fact, the whole family – had been after Jay's break-up from Nya, the elderly woman was delighted that the two had made up again in the end. She still didn't understand how and when exactly that had happened, but it didn't matter anyway. What mattered was that they _were_ together, stronger than ever and obviously very much in love with each other. There was no doubt that this time, their relationship would last. The older Mrs Walker was absolutely sure about that, and even more so after hearing the exciting news this morning.

"We are. We both really wanted this, and having a family with Nya really is all I've ever wished for." Jay smiled. "But... please don't tell Nya, she already has enough on her plate. I am also totally scared and it takes a lot not to freak out about it all the time. Sure, we do have a lot of time to get ready for the baby, but I am just not confident I'll be a good father. First of all, I am everything but a very patient person. I'm not as bad as Kai, sure, but still bad enough. And I'll probably be doing a lot of things wrong. And a baby is not like a machine, you can't just fix it when you mess up."

"Don't worry, honey. You will be fine, where's your positive thinking?" Edna reassured her son. "Just look how amazingly you are taking care of Nya right now, I am so proud of you. And a baby is actually a lot more robust than it may appear. Also, you will grow with the task. Your father and I were completely unprepared when, all of a sudden, we found that cutest little baby boy on our doorstep." She sighed. "Ed and I, we-we've made so many mistakes at the beginning. Sometimes I even thought that we should give you the chance to grow up with people who know more about taking care of a child and who could give you a better home. Especially a _safer_ home than a junkyard in the middle of the desert. I was worried that it was selfish of us to keep you, but we loved you way too much to give you away..." Edna took off her glasses to wipe her eyes. "And now look what a wonderful young man you have become."

"I love you and dad very much, too." Jay hugged his mother. "And I am so glad that you were selfish and didn't give me up."

"Really?" His mother sounded surprised.

"Of course, ma. I am so, so sorry if I sometimes didn't show it – and maybe I didn't always appreciate it either – but I couldn't have wished for any better parents or a better home than this here."

"You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear that." Edna beamed. "And I know that you and Nya will make the best parents for your child."

"Thanks, ma." Jay smiled. "I am feeling a lot more confident about it already."

"Glad to hear that, son. And never forget that you can always count on us."

"We won't. Whatever happens, one thing is for sure. Our child will _definitely_ have the four best grandparents in all of Ninjago."


	22. The Blue Suitcase (AU, Part 1)

**I had the idea for this little story flying** **back from Germany on the weekend. It's an AU where the '** **Ninja' are not Ninja/Elemental Masters but normal people.**

 **Hope you will enjoy it!**

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The Blue Suitcase

The ringing of her phone woke up Nya way too early on this Sunday morning.

She had returned home the previous evening after a weeklong business trip. Her flight had been delayed by almost three hours, so she had arrived at Ninjago City Airport only very late last night.

Luckily, her blue suitcase was the first item delivered at the baggage claim. Ignoring the jealous looks shel received from her fellow passengers, she grabbed her piece of luggage and headed straight to the taxi stand. When she arrived at her little apartment, she immediately fell into her bed, not even bothering to unpack.

Nya's close friends and family - in fact everyone who had her private mobile number - knew not to disturb her this morning (or _any_ morning she was off work), unless in a case of emergency. And the consistent ringing of her phone suggested that this might be a matter of urgency.

With half-opened lids, the raven-haired young woman finally found her phone on her chaotic bedside table. It was an unknown number, so she almost decided to block it and go back to sleep, but now she was awake (more or less) anyway. And she was kinda interested where the caller had gotten her number from.

"Hello?" She asked, trying to sound half asleep and half annoyed.

"Uhm, g-good morning. I-I would like to talk to N-Nya Smith, please." A rather nervous male voice replied.

"Speaking." This time it was definitely more annoyed than asleep.

"I-I am sorry to disturb you, Ms Smith. I hope I didn't wake you up."

"You did, so I hope you had an important reason for that."

"Uhm..." Nya swore she could _hear_ the other person blush. "I _think_ it's important." He explained. "You see, we were on the same flight last night, and I was so tired, I must have accidentally taken your suitcase from the baggage claim instead of mine. I am really sorry about that."

Nya was just going to break out in an angry rant about what a stupid and inconsiderate idiot he was, when she remembered that _she_ was the one who had taken the first suitcase without checking the name tag. Now it was her turn to blush.

"N-no problem, it was kinda _my_ fault." She said apologetically. "I wasn't expecting anyone else to have the same kind of blue suitcase..."

"Me neither." The other one laughed. "I was so sick of everyone having the same kind of black trolley and I wanted something that would stand out."

"It was the same for me. I chose this one because blue is my favourite colour." Why was she telling this to a stranger?

"Really?" He sounded excited. "So is mine. And there aren't that many suitcases in this colour around."

"No, you are right." Nya agreed. "You are actually the first person I've met who has one, except for myself that is. Which means I probably have your suitcase. Just give me a moment, please."

Nya got up and walked into her kitchen/living room where her - no, not her - suitcase was standing in a corner, unopened.

"What's your name?" She asked, reading the name on the tag.

"It's Jay." Jay told her. "Jay Walker."

"Yup, I took your suitcase." Nya confirmed. "I am really sorry about that, Jay."

"Ah, don't worry about that, Ms Smith. And we were both at fault." Jay sighed in relief. "I am just glad it's there."

"Please, call me Nya." Nya said. "Hearing someone call me Ms Smith just reminds me of work."

"No problem, Nya."

"So, what are we going to do about the suitcases?" The female wondered, walking into her small kitchen.

"I am going to my parents' place for lunch, that's why I've called now." Jay explained. "I could just drop by your place, it's more or less on the way."

Of course, he had her address from the name tag.

Nya checked the clock on the wall. It was quarter past twelve, so this Jay was probably going to meet his parents for lunch fairly soon.

Although technically afternoon already, it still felt like early morning to Nya today. And neither the raven-haired woman nor her apartment were in any state to have a visitor right now. Even if it was just to exchange mixed up suitcases.

"It's not so good at the moment. Would you have time to meet for a coffee this afternoon instead?" She replied, pouring herself a glass of fresh orange juice. Luckily, she had a caring big brother who had stocked up her fridge yesterday. "There's a nice little coffee shop just around the corner from my place? And it would be my treat, of course."

"I am generally free this afternoon, but, uhm, lunch with my parents can take quite a while." Jay told her. "It's not like we would eat that much, but my parents like to talk. A lot."

 _The cherry doesn't fall far off the blossom_. Nya thought, taking a sip from her glass.

"I honestly have no idea at what time I'll be back in the city. What about I call you just before I leave from the junkyard?" Jay suggested. "And either you have time time to meet then, or not."

"That's fine with me. So _maybe_ see you later then." Nya confirmed. She had no plans for today at all, but she was not going to tell that to a stranger.

"Sounds great." The cheerful voice at the other end of the line confirmed. "Bye, Nya."

"Bye, Jay." Nya pressed the red button.

 _Junkyard_? She wondered, finishing her orange juice.

This Jay Walker actually sounded like an interesting person.

And even though this kinda interfered with her usual Sunday routine of 'doing nothing', she was really looking forward to meeting him in person this afternoon.

Maybe mixed up blue suitcases would turn out to be not a bad thing at all.


	23. The Blue Suitcase (Part 2)

**Thanks for the reviews on the previous chapter, and especially to those who have expressed interest in reading a second part!**

 **I would have posted this sooner, but I was having some real trouble with the FF website...**

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The Blue Suitcase (Part 2)

At quarter past four in the afternoon, Nya and the wrong blue suitcase were waiting at the coffee shop. About ten minutes ago, Jay had called to let her know that he was on his way. But he and Nya's luggage hadn't arrived yet.

Nya had chosen a small table by the window. Instead of looking outside though, she was texting with her brother. The raven-haired woman was to visit him and his family for dinner tonight.

"Nya Smith?" Recognising the cheerful voice from their earlier phone conversation, Nya looked up.

A young man about her own age, maybe a year or two older, was standing next to the table. He had short, slightly messy auburn hair and electric blue eyes. Despite a little gap in his right eyebrow **[yes, I am keeping the old design!]** , his face was rather attractive.

"Jay Walker?" She asked back. He nodded and pointed at the chair opposite her. "May I?"

"Sure. How did you recognise me?" She asked.

"Oh, I've simply asked the most beautiful person in the coffee shop." Jay stated matter-of-factly.

"Wh-what?" Nya gasped, blushing

"Just kidding." Jay laughed. "Uhm, I mean, you _are_ very beautiful." He blushed as well. "But I didn't actually recognise _you_ ; it was my suitcase that caught my attention in the first place."

"Yes, I should have thought of that." Nya said. "And I see you've brought his friend."

"Yes, let them have a play date." Jay placed Nya's suitcase next to the other one and sat down.

"It's almost like in one of those movies where people bring a single red rose or a certain book for their blind dates to recognise each other. I have never heard of a blue suitcase though." He chatted away.

"Maybe we could sell the idea to the scriptwriters." Nya laughed.

"Yes, we could buy a lot of suitcases for that money." Jay joined in.

"But before we do that, can I get you a coffee - or anything else?" Nya offered. "I mean, you had to drive all the way here, so that's the least I can do for you." From his luggage tag, Nya knew that Jay lived in a different part of the city.

"Ah, no problem." Jay flashed her a smile. "It's on the way home from my parents' place."

"A junkyard, right?" Nya remembered their earlier conversation.

"Uhm, how...?" Jay apparently didn't.

"When we were talking on the phone, you mentioned a junkyard..." Nya explained.

"Ugh, did I?" Jay asked and Nya nodded.

"Must have been still asleep... but yeah, my parents own a junkyard just outside of town." He admitted. " _Ed & Edna's Scrap N Junk_, it is called. Just if you ever need scrap metal..."

"My parents actually might." Nya replied. "They run a blacksmith shop and are always looking for new material sources."

"Blacksmiths? That sounds pretty interesting." Jay stated.

"It is." Nya confirmed. "My brother is working with them as well. What do you do, by the way?"

"I am an engineer, I work in R&D at _Borg Industries_." Jay told her. "What about you?"

"I am a scientist at Ninjago University." Nya said. "Marine Biology." She added.

" _Marine_ Biology?" Jay wondered. "In Ninjago City?"

"I know, it doesn't really make much sense." Nya chuckled. "And that's why I have to travel a lot. I was just coming back from a week in Stixx last night, we have a research centre there."

"Ah, okay."

"What about you? What were you doing there?" Nya enquired. "Only if you _want_ to tell me, that is."

"I had to present some of our new technologies to potential investors." He said. "I don't like doing this kind of stuff, I am not very good at speaking in public."

Nya wordlessly raised an eyebrow and Jay threw his hands up in the air. "I know, I know. I do talk a lot. Just not like _that_." He explained. "Usually, my colleague would do these kind of presentations, he is a lot better at this than me. But he and his wife are expecting their first child and the baby is due in four weeks, so he prefers not to work out of town at the moment. So I kinda volunteered to go instead of Zane. I mean, if it was my family, I'd definitely want to stay at home as well."

"Do you have a family?" It was none of Nya's business, so why did the idea of Jay having a wife and children bother her?

"Oh, no." Jay said. "Not even close. My last girlfriend dumped me because of my irregular working hours."

"Sorry about that." No, she wasn't.

"Nah, it's okay." Jay shrugged. "I don't want to be with anyone who doesn't like me exactly the way I am. And that includes my job, I just couldn't do 9 to 5 in an office..."

"I understand. It's the same for me." Nya told him. "I love doing research, but working out of town for half of the time doesn't make things any easier..."

"But you still seem to have a very busy social life." Jay stated. "After having been away for a week, you didn't have time to meet up this morning."

"Oh, it wasn't like that." Nya blushed. "Your call had just woken me up, and my place was a mess..."

"No need to be embarrassed." Jay reassured her. "If my parents hadn't insisted that I come see them over lunch - and if I hadn't needed to exchange mixed-up suitcases - I wouldn't have left my apartment today at all. I would have ordered some unhealthy take out and spent the day on the sofa playing video games."

"Sounds like a great Sunday." Nya laughed. "I do have actual plans for later, my brother has invited me to come over for dinner tonight. Kai and his wife have the cutest little boy ever, he's probably grown a lot while I was away. Unfortunately, that means I can't stay here much longer."

"Yeah, I should get home as well." Jay got up from his seat. "I have loads of laundry to do now..."

"I guess I should do the same..." Nya agreed, albeit not too excited about the idea. "Make sure you have the right suitcase this time."

"Don't worry, I will." He thought for a moment. "Although... if I took yours, I'd have a reason to call you again."

"I _really_ need my stuff. But if you need a reason to call, how does dinner next week sound?" Nya blurted out.

"It sounds great." Jay smiled. "I've done a lot of overtime in Stixx, which means that I am not working late next week, so if you happen to be in town..."

"I am." Nya said firmly.

"... I'd love to see you again. What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow sounds great." She said excitedly.

"I'll call you later, or maybe tomorrow morning if you're busy tonight, to confirm time and place, okay?"

"Okay." Nya nodded. "Talk soon. And see you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, Nya."

Jay gave her a little peck on the cheek, before he turned around and walked out the coffee shop, towing his blue suitcase behind him.


	24. Here with me

**This one-shot** **is set shortly after** _ **Skybound**_ **, and it is not related to any other of my works. And it is not related to the song (by Dido) either, although I took the title from it.  
**

 **I wrote this story quite a while ago already, but I was hesitant to post it here, because (WARNING!) it's NOT a light and fluffy story, and I wasn't sure whether or not it would affect the rating of this one-shot collection. (If anyone thinks I should change it to M, please tell me and I will.) **

**But now I have decided to end this book anyway.** **I am kinda worried** **that people might have started to become fed up with my (too) many Jaya stories, so it's better to stop. Probably should have done it already after the wedding (as originally planned) but I way too much enjoy writing for this pairing.**

* * *

Here with me

 _Lying in Jay's arms, Nya smiled weakly at the love of her life._

 _"I never wanted to be part of your boys club anyway." The dying Water Ninja stated, as her small hand caressed his stubbled cheek._

 _But unsurprisingly, her feeble attempt to cheer him up didn't work, for she could see those stunning blue eyes of his welling with tears._

 _"No, Nya." Jay choked out. "Don't say that."_

 _The blue Ninja's voiced was laced with fear, fear of losing her yet_ again _._

 _Nya, however, was not scared. She couldn't afford to waste whatever strength she had left on something like that. She needed all her energy to make these final moments last for as long as she could._

 _The black-haired girl dropped her arm, it had become too heavy to hold it up any longer. Her eyes felt heavy too, but she fought to keep them open. She wanted to see his handsome face for as long as she could. Hear his cheerful voice. Feel him him hold her tight. Smell his familiar, comforting scent of milk and honey (although it was undeniable that he hadn't showered for a couple of days, but who would complain about that right now)._

 _Nya was sad though that she would not be able to taste his kiss again, she simply did not have enough time left. With every breath she took, it became more and more difficult to fill her burning lungs with oxygen._

 _But... she couldn't just leave like this. She had to tell him how she felt._

 _"I guess it's true, the greatest love stories do always end in tragedy." She barely managed to bring out these words, before her body fell limb and everything turned black..._

Clutching the front of her sea blue nightgown and gasping for air, Nya shot up in her bed.

 _It was just a dream._ She told herself. _Everything is alright. This never actually happened._

But at least the last part wasn't true. It _did_ happen, even though nobody except her and her boyfriend remembered it. Why else would it hurt this much?

Struggling to breath, the female Ninja jumped out of her bed, and rushed to the window at the far end of the room. Unable to turn the handle with her shaking hands, Nya desperately shot a strong gust of water at the glass. From the impact, the window shattered into what looked like millions of pieces, and a fresh breeze of cold air streamed into the bedroom.

Only wearing a short silk nightgown, the girl started to shiver. Looking down at herself in the light of the moon, Nya was relieved not to find any green splashes of venom on her outfit. Yet that burning feeling on her chest still remained. And she had to get rid of that.

The trained Shinobi quietly sneaked to the bathroom and, dropping her nightgown on the floor, stepped into the shower. Feeling the cold water on her skin helped soothe the pain, but this wasn't enough.

The female Master grabbed her bottle of a mild body scrub and a soft sponge and began cleaning herself. When her nightmares had started after Jay's wish had reset the timeline, she had gathered an impressive collection of more efficient exfoliants, including different body scrubs, nail brushes and even surface cleaners and scouring pads from the kitchen, claiming that the red, raw skin on her chest was an allergic reaction to the synthetic material of her new Airjitzu gi.

But Jay had soon discovered the true reason behind her condition. Threatening to reveal the truth to her brother, he had made Nya throw everything away. And, most importantly, she had _promised_ him not to do it again. And she intended to keep her promise, no matter how difficult it was.

So, this more gentle solution had to do for now.

About half an hour and almost a full bottle of body scrub later, the pain had not gone away but it had at least become somehow bearable.

Nya stepped out the shower and wrapped herself in a clean white bath towel, before she made her way back to her room.

As she passed by her teammates' rooms, she couldn't resist but to stop in front of her boyfriend's door.

Jay was just too cute when he was asleep – not that he was in any way less attractive when he was awake. But watching him sleeping, peaceful and hugging whatever was in his reach – like his pillow, his stuffed bear, or Nya herself whenever they managed to secretly spend the night together – always calmed her down.

But the Master of Lightning didn't sound calm and peaceful at all right now, even through the closed door Nya could hear him cry.

She quietly opened the door and slipped into his room, finding her boyfriend tossing and turning in his bed.

"Stop it." He pleaded, tears streaming down his pale face. "Please. No-not the eye."

In the dim light, Nya could see his knuckles turn white as he firmly clenched his pillow. "I-I can't give up. I n-need to stay strong. For her. B-but I j-just want to wish it all away."

The mattress dipped slightly, as the Water Ninja carefully sat down at the edge of the bed. Knowing not to wake a sleeping person from a nightmare, she gently ran her hand through his silky auburn locks and down his back.

"Shh, it's okay." She soothed him in a soft voice. "You are safe. I am here, and nobody will harm you."

As she could feel him gradually relax under her touch, Nya herself started feeling less tense as well. When she could finally hear a regular, calm breathing coming from her boyfriend, Nya bent down to place a gentle kiss on his sweaty forehead. "I love you." She whispered.

Not wanting to go back to her own cold and lonely room, she was contemplating whether she could just sneak under his warm covers, when she suddenly found a pair of wide open deep blue eyes staring at her.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Jay asked sleepily.

"You had another nightmare, I could hear you from outside the room." Nya explained. " _Scrap'N'Tap_ again?"

Jay swallowed hard. "Y-yes." He admitted. "Wh-why were you up?"

"Couldn't sleep." Nya shrugged.

Only then did Jay noticed the damp black hair and the towel wrapped around his girlfriend's small frame. "You as well?" He concluded, his eyes fixed on the light red skin visible just above the rim of her towel.

Nya nodded, feeling some tears prickling in her eyes.

"We always seem to have those nightmares at the same time." Jay remarked. "Do you think our dreams are... connected?"

"It could be." The raven-haired girl agreed. "After all, we are the only two people in Ninjago who remember what _really_ happened... and we don't seem to get them as much when we are together."

Jay understood. "You wanna stay?" He offered.

Nya nodded again, smiling. "I do."

The Lightning Wielder smirked. "You might want to put some clothes on though. Not that I don't like you like this. But I don't want your brother to kill me if he finds you naked in my bed tomorrow morning."

The Water Ninja chuckled. "No, we wouldn't want that to happen, would we?"

She got up and demonstratively dropped her towel before she walked over to the drawer chest on the other wall, a delicate sway on her slender hips.

Nya smiled as she could feel his gaze on her bare back. No, in her current state, sex was pretty much the last thing on the young woman's mind right now. But the way Jay looked at – admired – her simply made her feel good. It made her feel beautiful. And most importantly, it made her feel _alive_.

The raven-haired girl opened the drawers and took a simple blue shirt and a pair of boxers from them. She slipped them on, before she turned around again.

"You look good in my stuff." Jay winked at her. "Almost as good as without them."

"I like wearing your clothes. They are blue, comfortable, and they smell like you." She stated as she climbed into the bed.

"Like grease and junk?" Jay enquired, wrapping his arms around her.

"No. Just nice." Nya snuggled into his chest. "Good night."

"Good night, Nya." He kissed her nose. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Safe in each other's embrace, the couple finally drifted off into a deep and _dreamless_ sleep.


	25. Switched

**What's it with me not being able to leave this poor book alone and keeping on adding more stories to this 'completed' collection?!**

 **Well, about two weeks ago I realised that the first one shot was published almost (and by now just over) two years ago, so I asked some friends on wattpad (to avoid breaking any rules here) for ideas for a '** **Jaya anniversary one shot'.**

 **And I got so many great suggestions that I am going to write a few more of them** 😉 **.**

 **This particular story was a suggestion from _AlexTodorova17_** **: Kai and Nya switch bodies just before their dates with Skylor and Jay, respectively.**

 **It is set right after** ** _Hands of Time._ Rated T for some (unavoidable) awkwardness but nothing too serious I think.**

 **But things might get confusing, so just to let you know that the POV is always the person controlling the body, i.e. 'Nya' is her mind in Kai's body. When referring to the 'host', it either says something like 'Nya's body' or the name written in** _ **italics**_ **.**

* * *

Switched  


"Bye mum. Bye dad." Nya turned around and waved back to her parents - for the fifteenth time since the Smith siblings had left the _Four Weapons_ shop on their fusion dragon.

"Nya, we're almost at the temple." Kai told his sister. "I really don't think our parents can still see you."

"I know. I just miss them already." Nya sighed. "We've been without them for so long, and we have so much to catch up on."

"And we will." Her brother reassured her. "And to be honest, I can't wait for the next time we'll get home – and mum and dad will be there."

After the defeat of the Time Twins, Maya and Ray had spent a few days with their children at the _Temple of Airjitzu_ before moving back to Ignacia today. All the Ninja as well as some friends had helped the blacksmith couple settle back into the family's old home. And whereas their teammates had earlier returned to the floating temple, the Masters of Water and Fire had stayed over for dinner and were only flying home now.

"Do you have any plans for tomorrow?" Nya wanted to know. _Master_ Lloyd had given his team a day off.

"I'm gonna see Skylor." Kai told her. "I've briefly spoken to her on the phone, but I still want to tell her everything that's happened in person."

"Ooh, my brother has a date." Nya teased him.

"No, we're just friends..." Kai protested.

"C'mon, you still like her." She insisted. "You are usually so cool and confident, but even just mentioning her gets you all flustered."

"I do." He admitted. "I really do."

"And she obviously cares about you as well. So, why don't you just go for it?"

"Alright, I will." Kai said. "Everything to make my little sis happy." Truth be told, he had secretly planned already to do it anyway, but would never admit that of course. "So, what have you planned for tomorrow?"

"Jay is taking me on a surprise date." Nya informed him. "We haven't spent much time together these past few days, so it will be nice to have the whole day just to ourselves."

It was late when the siblings finally arrived back at the floating island, and their teammates were already fast asleep. So, after dispelling their dragon, Kai and Nya said goodnight and went to their respective rooms. Having spent the whole day cleaning and moving things, Nya took a quick shower before she went to her bed where she found a single red rose on her nightstand, with a message. _Sweet dreams, Nya. Can't wait for tomorrow. Love, Jay_

 _Love you too xx._ The Water Ninja sent a message to her boyfriend, even though he would probably not see it until the next day. With a happy smile on her face, she closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.

* * *

When Nya woke up the next morning, something felt rather strange about her bed. And when she opened her eyes, something looked _very_ strange about her room.

It took her a moment to realise that she had woken up in her brother's room. Had the guys played some kind of stupid prank on her?

The Water Ninja tiredly ran her hand through her spiky hair – wait, _spiky_ hair? Well, her hair had been still wet when she had fallen asleep, so she'd better check...

Nya jumped out Kai's bed and walked into Kai's _en-suite_ bathroom to check her reflection – only to find that it was not her reflection in the mirror but Kai's.

"What the ..."

At that moment, someone vigorously knocked on the door. "Kai?" Nya could her her own voice shout from the other side, followed by a quieter: "Sis?"

Nya opened the door and quickly pulled her body inside the room. She looked around to make sure no one else was nearby before closing the door behind them.

"Kai?" She asked back. "Is that you?"

Kai-in-Nya's-body nodded. "What happened?"

Nya-in-Kai's-body shrugged. "I have no idea, we must have somehow switched bodies..."

"Do you think it could have had something to do with our fusion dragon?" Her brother suggested.

"I don't know. But Jay and I have fused our dragons several times before, but this has never happened to us."

"I hope it hasn't." Kai glared at her.

"Hehe, I look scary like this." Nya giggled. But then she turned serious again. "It could be related to the Dragon Blade though..."

"Well, in his case, mum and dad might know about this."

"Let's call them." Nya looked around. "Where do you keep your phone?"

"Under the pillow."

Nya raised an eyebrow. "You sleep with your phone under your pillow? That's not very healthy."

"Is that your biggest problem right now?"

"As long as you don't do it while you are in my body..." Nya handed her brother his phone. "Let's hope our parents still remember how to use their new BorgPhone."

It took a while for their parents to answer.

 _Hello_? Maya's voice asked.

"Hey, mum. It's Kai.. uhm... Nya..." Kai replied in Nya's voice.

"Hi mum." Nya added.

 _Oh, children. So nice of you to call us. Ray, it's Kai and Nya on the phone._

"Mum, can you put dad on speaker? We need to talk to both of you."

 _How do I do that?_

 _You need to tap the speaker icon on the screen, my angel_. Ray's voice could be heard in the background.

 _Ah, here. Is everything alright_? Maya asked worriedly.

"Not exactly." Kai's voice told them. " _This_ is Nya."

"And _I_ am Kai." Nya's voice continued. "We have somehow switched our bodies."

 _Oh, honey. We completely forgot to tell them about that side effect_... Maya was talking to her husband.

"Side effect?" Kai and Nya exchanged glances.

 _When you went home last night, did you make your fusion dragon_? Their mother asked.

"We did." Kai confirmed.

 _You see, when you dispel your elemental fusion dragon, you need to catch your own side of the Dragon Blade_. Ray explained. _Last night, Kai must have touched the blue side and Nya the red one. So, your elemental powers returned to the wrong body, and your minds have followed over night._

Nya's body snipped her fingers, and a small flame appeared in _her_ hand. "Yes, I still have my own powers." Kai confirmed. "FIYAAA."

Nya's mind was less impressed. "So, it has happened to you as well?"

 _Yes, it was quite a memorable experience_. Ray stated.

"And what did you do?" Nya wanted to know.

Maya giggled. _Oh, we had quite some fun..._

"Too much information, mum." Kai exclaimed in his sister's voice.

"No, I mean how did you manage to change back?" Nya asked.

 _Nothing. Your elements want to return to their real master, so it should wear off in a day or two_.

"A day or two?" Kai yelled.

 _I'm afraid so, Ny- I mean Kai_.

"Alright, thanks mum and dad." Nya sighed. "Love you."

 _Love you too, children._

Kai pressed the button. "What are we gonna do for 'a day or two'?" He sighed. "Shall we just hide in here?"

"No, I've promised Jay that we would spend today together." Nya shook her – well, his – head. "He took it really hard when we went after Krux and Acronix, and then we were so busy helping mum and dad, I just _can't_ cancel on him."

"But you can't go on a date with him in my body either." Kai claimed. "And what am I going to do about Skylor?"

"Well, the only solution I can think of is that I'll go see Skylor and you go on that date with Jay." Nya said.

"Uhm..."

"C'mon. Remember what you said last night: "Everything to make your little sis happy."

"Great, now _my_ sister in _my_ body is using _my_ words against me." Kai complained. "But... I can't think of anything else either."

"We better get ready then for our dates." Nya lifted Kai's arm and sniffed. "I smell... okay."

"Hey, I took a shower last night."

"Good, me too."

"Phew." Kai sighed in relief.

"But we still need to get dressed." His sister remarked. "You can't go like this. And neither can I." The female body was still dressed in her thin silver silk nightgown. And the male one was only wearing a pair of red shorts.

"Alright, let's get you... me... whatever dressed first." _Nya_ stated. The raven-haired female walked over to the drawer chest. From the huge mess inside, Kai produced a pair of boxers and a red t-shirt as well as a pair of navy jeans.

Nya closed Kai's eyes. She dropped the pyjama shorts and put on the pair of boxers.

"Hey, these are comfortable." She remarked, opening her eyes. "I'm totally gonna keep them."

"No way."

"Fine, I'm just gonna ask J-..."

"Don't finish that sentence." Nya flinched at the sharp tone in her own voice. So, this was what she sounded like when she was telling the guys off?

Once Kai was dressed, the Master of Fire (in the Water Ninja's body) carefully styled _his_ hair.

"Dang, I look good." Kai smirked.

"Yeah, not too bad." Nya stated. "Your turn now."

As the siblings walked towards the female master's quarters, a cheerful voice called out from behind them.

"Nya?"

"Jay." Nya smiled at her boyfriend, but of course, Jay only had eyes for her brother.

"Good morning, my love." He pecked _Nya's_ cheek. "I am looking forward to our date."

Nya nudged her body with _Kai's_ elbow.

"Oh, yeah. Me too." Kai said, less than excited. "Can't wait. Just... uhm... need to get dressed, okay?"

"Great, I'll wait for you downstairs." Jay beamed at him.

As soon as they were in Nya's room, Kai headed to the bathroom.

"Ugh, I can't do this." He claimed, scrubbing Nya's cheek. "What if he tries to kiss me? I mean properly, like... you know..." He couldn't even say it.

"Don't worry. In public, we usually prefer cuddling."

"You're not making this any better..." Kai mumbled.

Ignoring his complaints, Nya turned to her wardrobe. She had wanted to wear a knee length sapphire blue summer dress for her date, so Kai would now have to pull it off for her.

She placed the dress and some underwear on her bed.

"Get changed." She told him. "I'll help you."

"In front of you?" Kai asked.

"I've just changed in front of you. And this is my body, I've seen it naked before."

Kai applied the same strategy as his sister. He closed Nya's eyes before taking off her nightgown and panties and then blindly put on the fresh undergarments.

Nya helped her brother close the clip of her bra. "It takes a bit of practice. Same with the unclipping, by the way." She told him, but Kai was not paying attention to her teasing.

His – or rather Nya's - eyes wide open in shock, he looked at the dress, which had a very low neckline.

"I'm not gonna wear this." He claimed. "Guys are gonna stare at me."

"Welcome to _my_ world." Nya stated sarcastically. "Now you can experience what it's like to be the girl Ninja..."

Speaking of being a girl...

"It's not ... _that_ time of the month, right?" Kai asked carefully.

"No, you're lucky." Nya laughed. "Not for another week. So, you better hope mum and dad were right with their prediction that this here shouldn't last more than a day or two..."

* * *

Keep still, Kai. I am almost done." Nya demanded as she was straightening her brother's currently short raven black hair.

"But this feels strange." Kai complained.

"And so does carrying a hedgehog around on my head." Nya stated. She took the red rose from her nightstand and put it in Kai's hair. "Looking good, bro." She smiled at him. "Are you ready for _your_ date with _my_ boyfriend?"

"No." Kai stated. He stood up and started fiddling with his sea blue dress, undecided whether he should pull it further down to cover more of 'his' legs or pull it up to show less cleavage. "But now that I've agreed to this arrangement there's no point putting it off any further..."

" _Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today_." Nya smirked.

"Well, in this case it would probably be better, because we'll hopefully be back to nomal by tomorrow." Kai sighed. "Alright, let's go."

After one final check in the mirror, the siblings exited Nya's room and took the stairs down to the temple's main hall.

Jay was already impatiently waiting for them, a picnic basket standing on the floor next to him.

He excitedly bounced over to the person that he thought was his girlfriend and pulled her in a hug. "Wow, you look lovely." He whispered, gently running his hand through Nya's short black hair. "I like what you did with the flower."

"Thanks." Kai gave him a forced smile. _Why did we just spend over half an hour straightening the hair if he messes it up again in less than half a minute_? "I had some help from my brother."

"Wow, I'm impressed." The blue Ninja closed his eyes and leaned in.

"Ahem." Nya loudly cleared her throat, making Jay jump. "Are you two going on a date now or are you going to make out in front of me?"

"Uhm..." Jay blushed. "I... uhm... we better go now." He said, grabbing the picnic basket with one hand and the female's small hand with the other. "See you later."

As Jay pulled him towards the exit, Kai turned around to look at Nya who was grinning widely. "Thank you." He mouthed at her.

"Have fun." She winked. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

* * *

"Is he stil watching?" Jay asked, when they were standing outside in front of the temple.

"I-I think so." Kai lied.

"I am so glad we have the whole day to ourselves away from the others, especially from your brother." The Master of Lightning took his hand, happily smiling at him.

Kai swallowed. "Yeah, me too." He tried very hard to sound excited.

"It's a very nice day, so I thought we could fly to Ninjago City and have a picnic in the park." Jay explained. "Hybrid Dragon?" He suggested.

"Yesterday was quite a long day, I'm still a bit tired." Kai faked a yawn, remembering that he still had his own elemental powers. "Maybe I can ride with you today?" He asked, batting _Nya's_ eyelashes.

"Sure." Jay handed the picnic basket to Kai before summoning his Lightning Dragon. As they were flying towards the city, Kai held onto Jay's shoulder with his free hand.

"Are you alright?" Jay asked. "You seem so distant..."

"Yeah, all good." Kai replied. "I just... can't sit closer to you because of the picnic basket." He added, trying to sound upset about it.

"Ah, okay." The other apparently believed him. "It happens so rarely that you let me fly – not that I would mind you being in control, of course. I mean, you are an amazing pilot and such – I just wanted to make sure you're comfortable."

 _Haha, sounds like he still lets Nya boss him around_...

But to dispel the other's worries, Kai still scooted the tiniest bit to the front, closer to the other Ninja, and put his hand on his waist.

Luckily, the Lightning Dragon was very fast, so they soon arrived at their destination. Jay jumped off the dragon and helped 'Nya' slide down as well. Their hands entwined, they took a little stroll through the park, casually talking about the weather – spring had finally arrived in the capital – before setting up the picnic blanket under a blooming cherry tree.

"It's beautiful." Kai remarked. _I should take Skylor here when this whole mess is over_...

"I know that you love the cherry blossom, that's why I suggested this location." Jay smiled at him. "And to make things even better, I've made your favourite sandwiches, turkey with cranberry sauce on brown bread, with butter on only one half."

Kai was impressed. _Wow, he really pays a lot of attention to my sis, even I didn't know that_.

And he had to admit, the sandwiches were quite nice, although he himself usually preferred the spicier options.

"When did you prepare all this?" Kai wondered when Jay took a container with fruit skewers from the basket.

"Oh, just this morning, I got up extra early but also had some help from Zane."

 _Jay_ never _gets up early unless he has to. Nya was right, this date really means a lot to him._

Kai felt really bad now for acting so distant towards the blue Ninja. Wanting to show some kind of affection, he leaned against him and put his head on the other's shoulder. Jay happily wrapped his arm around him, and Kai was surprised when he could feel Nya's body immediately relax in her boyfriend's embrace.

"Mmh, you smell nice." Jay buried his nose in Kai's hair.

 _If only I had my spiky hair_... The Master of Fire thought. But instead he replied politely. "Thanks... uhm... you too?"

"Glad you like it." The blue Ninja beamed at him. "It's quite hard to find stuff that's perfume free and still smells nice..."

 _Ah, yes. Nya's allergy_.

"Do you remember when I asked you out on our first date, and Kai had given me some perfume instead of cologne?" Jay suddenly asked.

"Yeah, that was a great prank, wasn't it?" Kai laughed.

"You think so?" The Master of Lightning was mildly surprised by _Nya's_ reaction. "He knowingly put you at risk, just to prank me..."

Kai had never thought of it that way, but Jay was right, it had been pretty careless of him.

The auburn haired male suddenly gave him a sad look. "No matter how hard I try, I don't think Kai will _ever_ approve of us..."

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since we got back together, all he does is complain."

"No, please don't think that." Kai protested. "I am- I mean he is perfectly fine with us. He wants me to be happy, and he can see that you would do anything to make that happen. It's just that... seing y-... us two together is sometimes hard for him, because that means that his baby sister is growing up and soon won't need him anymore."

"You think so?"

Kai took Jay's hand into his and locked their eyes. "I know it." He stated. "And... he's also just a tiny bit jealous of us, because he would like to have the same kind of close relationship with Skylor."

Kai could see a few tears glistening in Jay's blue eyes.

"You have no idea how relieved I am." He said. "I was really scared that he thinks that I'm not good enough for you. It wouldn't be too surprising, even my parents didn't want me..."

This didn't make any sense, Kai had never met parents who adored their child as much as Ed and Edna Walker.

"That's stupid." He exclaimed. "How could you think that? Ed and Edna love you very much."

"Y-you are right." Jay smiled through his tears. "I need to use the power of positive thinking. Those people who abandoned their baby are _not_ my parents. My real parents are the two people who raised me."

 _What is he talking about_? Kai wondered. _I think I should ask my sis about this later_...

* * *

In the meantime, Kai's sister was having lunch with Skylor at a small pizza place – 'anything but noodles', the redhead had requested, so Nya had suggested this venue where she and Jay would sometimes go for a bite whenever they were in the city.

The two were discussing the latest movies, trying to decide which one they were going to watch later.

"Are they showing anything that's _not_ part of a franchise?" Nya wondered. "Everything seems to be either a sequel or a prequel..."

"I am really relieved that I'm not the only one who feels that way." Skylor agreed. "I really hate that. You miss one film, and suddenly nothing makes sense anymore..."

"And not just within a film series. Jay and... I mean the other guys and I went to watch the latest _Starfarers_ movie the other day, and suddenly there were some characters from _Space Samurai_ and I didn't understand a thing..."

"But the strategy seems to work, a lot of people spend all their money not only on the films but also on the merchandise."

Nya sighed. "Tell me about it..." _And my boyfriend is one of them_.

"I am so happy that you called." Skylor smiled at her. "I'm having a really great time."

"So am I." Nya replied. And it was true. Sure, she would still prefer to be on a date with her boyfriend right now, but the Water Ninja usually didn't get a lot of female company. So, hanging out with her brother's hopefully future girlfriend was not a bad way to spend her day off. Skylor was very nice and funny. And so far, she had been able to avoid any awkward situations.

"These last few moths, I was very busy getting this business back on track, and I didn't really get to keep my promise to 'keep in touch'." She began. "And I am very sorry about that."

 _It's not like Kai was any better, he was a bit too distracted by all his fans_... Nya thought.

All of a sudden, Skylor put her hand onto _Kai's_.

"But it meant a lot to me when you dropped in to the restaurant last week for some advice." The Master of Amber continued. "And... it made me realise how much I've missed you..."

 _Great, totally jinxed it_. Nya mentally face-palmed. But she had promised her brother to help him, so she smiled back. "I've missed you too."

"You did?"

Nya nodded. "Y-yes. Very much."

Skylor sheepishly smiled at her. "I was thinking that... maybe we could continue where we left off?"

"I'd like that." Nya repeated the exact words her brother had used at the _Corridor of Elders_.

"Great." Skylor leaned over the small table. "And it's even better that Dareth isn't here right now..."

* * *

"I spy with my little eye something... blue." Kai said. He and Jay were lying on their backs on the picnic blanket.

"Me?" The Master of Lightning grinned.

"Nope." Kai shook his head. "Look up."

"The sky?"

"Yeah, it's a really nice day." _Would be even nicer in my own body and with Skylor..._ "There's not a single cloud up there."

"And no creepy time vortex..." Jay muttered. He sat up. "Nya?" He asked, holding out his hand.

Kai had gotten used to reacting to his sister's name, so he took the blue Ninja's hand and let Jay pull him up. "Yes?"

"When... when you and Kai went after the _Iron Doom_ , I was so scared." Jay told him. "Not because of what would have happened to Ninjago if Krux and Acronix had managed to alter the past. All I could think of was that I might never see you again. Or worse, that they had done something to our parents so that we would have never been born - and I would have never even met you... I just can't lose you again."

"Jay." Kai put his hand on the other Ninja's shoulder and locked their eyes. "I really didn't know you felt that way about Ny-... uhm... me. I promise, nothing will ever come between us ever again."

 _And I will make sure of it._

"Nya." Sapphire blue locked with chocolate brown. "I love you."

As Jay expectantly looked at him, Kai could feel Nya's heart beat faster. Yes, his sister was in love with Jay, and she wanted Kai to tell him.

But Kai had never said these words to anyone before. He had hoped that Skylor would be the first. _C'mon. You can say it_. He encouraged himself. _Do it for Nya_.

Kai closed his eyes and imagined himself speaking to a beautiful girl with scarlet hair.

* * *

 _C'mon, just pretend you're kissing Jay_. Nya told herself, as their faces came closer.

She closed her eyes and imagined herself holding Jay's hand, that it was her boyfriend's breath she could feel on her face, that it was his cherry lipgloss she could smell... and that's when she was abruptly brought back to reality.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Nya's eyes snapped open and she pulled away.

"I am sorry, Skylor." She apologised. "But... I just can't do this."

"I understand." The redhead gave her a sad look. "I guess I blew my chance with you a while ago..."

Skylor pushed back her chair, her ocean blue eyes welling with tears. "Please excuse me, I am not very hungry for a dessert."

"No, wait." Nya exclaimed. "It's not like _that_."

She took a brief glimpse around to make sure nobody was looking at the elemental couple, before creating a small ball of water between her hands.

"I am Nya." She told the other girl. "I know it sounds hard to believe, but Kai and I have switched bodies..."

"Well, it's not that hard to believe." Skylor smiled through her tears. "Considering I was a snake not too long ago... it seems that anything can happen in Ninjago, but how?"

Nya told her friend about her and Kai's fusion dragon and the _Dragon Blade_.  
"And then, we didn't want to disappoint you or Jay, so we decided to pretend that I am Kai and he is me. But I guess the idea wasn't that great... Skylor, I know that my brothers likes you a lot. Your first kiss with him just shouldn't be with me." She smiled. "And I really wasn't lying when I said that I enjoyed hanging out with you, I hope we will get to spend more time with each other and be friends, but... you're not exactly my type."

"Not _blue_ enough?" Skylor smirked.

A light blush dusted Kai's tanned cheeks. "Yeah... So, I don't want to kiss you. And... I don't want my brother to kiss my boyfriend either."

"I'd rather not have that to happen either." Skylor agreed.

"C'mon, let's go find them." Nya took her phone from her purse. "Jay had planned a surprise date for us, but we can track each other's devices." She explained.

"Are they far from here?"

"No, they are just around the corner in the park." She told Skylor. "Awww, I bet Jay wanted to us to see the cherry blossom."

"Then, what are we waiting for?" Skylor asked.

* * *

Kai took a deep breath. "I lo..."

But just at that moment, a loud "Stop!" in his own voice interrupted their conversation.

Kai opened his eyes and saw Nya and Skylor running towards them. "Nooo." His sister shouted. "Don't!"

Jay's face fell.

"See, that's what I was talking about earlier." He complained. "He's doing it _again_."

But to the blue Ninja's surprise, Kai's body tackled him into a hug, sending them both on the ground.

"That's _not_ Nya." The spiky haired man told him. " _I_ am Nya. And _I_ love you."

"Wh-what?" Jay gave a pleading look at the person he had thought was his girlfriend. "Please tell me this isn't..."

"It is true." Kai interrupted him. "I am Kai." And to prove his point, he produced a small flame in his hand.

Jay buried his face in his hands. "I can't believe I've revealed all my feelings to my girlfriend's brother..."

"Yes, and I am glad you did." Kai gave him a pat on the back. "It really helped me understand your relationship a lot better. And I meant it when I promised to support you from now on."

"And you were in this as well?" Jay accusingly glared at Skylor.

"No, until a few minutes ago, I thought that I was on a date with Kai."

"It was my idea." Nya apologised. "I didn't want to disappoint you by cancelling our date."

"Which is why I am so glad that you broke your cover first." Kai said.

"And I can't believe you were actually gonna go through with it..." Nya smirked.

"And... are you going to stay like this forever?" Jay asked worriedly.

"No, it should wear of in a day or two." Nya reassured her boyfriend, before she explained to him what had happened to her and her brother.

Jay took a moment to silently look back and forth between his girlfriend and the person who looked like his girlfriend.

"Why can't you just use the _Dragon Blade_ to switch back?" He finally asked.

"Mum and dad said that there is no way to actively switch back." Nya shrugged.

"I am not sure they're tried." Kai chimed in. "It sounded like they rather enjoyed it when it happened to them..."

"I am pretty sure I don't want to know..." Jay blushed.

"And I think your idea is worth a try." Kai stated. "Mum said that our powers and our minds _want_ to return to their right bodies, so giving them a little push might work."

Watching the four elemental masters returning to the Ninja's home was a rather interesting sight: It looked as if _Kai_ was flying the impressive Lightning and Water hybrid dragon, while Skylor was sitting (very close) behind _Nya_ on the elemental Fire dragon.

Back at the _Temple of Airjitzu_ , they went directly to Kai's room, where the Fire Master took the red and blue _Dragon Blade_ from the wall.

"So, we need to put our elemental powers into the blade and then switch sides." Kai reminded his sister, holding the red side while Nya took the blue one.  
Jay and Skylor watched in awe as the Masters of Fire and Water closed their eyes and transferred their powers into the blade, which started to glow brightly. Once the process was complete, they quickly turned the blade around and started to withdraw their powers, before their huge fusion dragon could materialise inside the small room.

Nya sighed in relief as she could feel herself return to her own body. She opened her chocolate brown eyes and ran her hand through her straight short hair.

She smiled at Jay who was anxiously looking at her. "And? Did it work?" He wanted to know. "Nya?"

"Yes?" Both Kai and Nya replied simultaneously.

The Water Ninja playfully nudged her brother's arm. "Stop messing with him."  
She walked over to her boyfriend. "It did." She said. "It I was still Kai, I probably wouldn't do this." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss.

"Argh, my eyes." Kai exclaimed, covering his eyes with her hands

"Yes, that's _definitely_ your brother." Jay mumbled before capturing her lips again.

Skylor walked over to Kai. "Don't look at them." She took his hands and removed them from his eyes. "Look at me."

And then she kissed him.


	26. Sick Day

**I wrote this one shot for a friend on wattpad who was sick, because she told me that Jaya fluff is good medicine for her ;).**

* * *

Sick Day

Jay woke up to the pitter-patter of little feet along the corridor.

As he opened his own eyes, he found two pairs of eyes, one blue and one brown, expectantly looking back at him from the doorframe.

"Daddy!" Abigail, the four-year old owner of the blue orbs, yelled and jumped into her parents' bed, immediately followed by her two-year old brother Robert.

"Good morning, you two." Jay hugged his children. "Are you feeling better?"

Both kids had been down with a throat infection last week. Luckily, it looked like they were back to their usual (adorable, noisy and rather exhausting) selves now. "Ssh, we don't want to wake up mummy." He told them.

His wife had _never_ been a morning person, this was something Jay had learned the hard way very early in their relationship. And she had been absolutely wrecked last night, after taking care of and entertaining two sick children.

"No, she isn't." Nya mumbled sleepily.

Jay smiled. "Good morning, sweetheart." He placed a chaste kiss on her cheek - which felt a bit warmer than usual. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Not really." Nya replied in a hoarse voice. "My throat is sore, and I have a bit of a headache..."

Jay groaned inwardly, this was exactly how it had started for the two little ones.

"Do you need anything?" He asked her worriedly.

"Not right now." She said. "Just a bit more sleep, please."

"Don't worry, I'll take care of those two monkeys. It's my turn today anyway, you had them all week." He then turned to their children. "Alright, let's play a game: Who can get dressed and walk downstairs - no, not the fastest but the quietest. And then, we're gonna make breakfast for mummy, okay?"

"Whoohoo." - "Yay." Abby and Robbie cheered as quietly as they could (which was _not_ very quiet at all), before they climbed out the bed and ran back to their room.

"Thanks." Nya smiled weakly. "I love you."

"Love you too." Jay smiled back. "Just try to get better soon."

"Believe me, I _am_ trying."

When Jay had gotten out of the bed and into a plain t-shirt and a pair of joggers, Abby and Robbie were already impatiently waiting for him on the corridor.

"C'mon, daddy." The girl grabbed his hand and pulled him along. "I got the clothes and helped Robbie, I am a biiig girl, right?"

"Well done, Abs." Jay said, not commenting on the fact that her shirt was inside out and the boy's pants had been put on the wrong way. "You _are_ a big girl. And who's gonna help me now in the kitchen?"

"Me, me." Robbie excitedly bounced up and down.

"I gonna help daddy." Abigail told her little brother. "An' you can help me."

About one hour and one devastated kitchen later, Jay quietly walked back up the stairs bedroom, carrying a tray in his hands. Even from outside the room, he could hear Nya coughing.

"Scrambled eggs and toast." He announced, seeing (or hearing) that she was awake. "Well, more like crunchy eggs. Abby insisted on cracking them, so there's quite a few pieces of shell in there."

"Thanks, honey." Nya sat up in the bed. "And thanks for letting me sleep."

"That's nothing new for me on a Saturday morning." Jay teased her, carefully putting the tray on her lap. "But you do need to rest. And I brought yoy some paracetamol." He pointed at a little box on the tray.

"What are the kids doing?" Nya asked, trying a small bit of the eggs.

"Watching some telly, we've already had our breakfast." He told her. "Oh, I've called mum, she and dad are gonna take the kids for the weekend until you're better. Your parents already have Mattie and Amber; apparently Kai and Skylor are _both_ out as well."

"That's just the way it goes." Nya smirked. "Remember when Abby brought home that stomach bug from playgroup and you started throwing up during training? _Everyone_ in the team got sick..."

"Of course I remember." Jay stated. "I'd really love to forget about it but Kai keeps reminding me, making sure I won't."

"That's my brother..." Nya remarked. She took two tablets with some water. "Please tell Abby these are the best and crispiest scrambled eggs I've ever had - definitely calcium-rich... unfortunately, I am not very hungry right now."

"At least try to have some tea." Her husband sat down next to her, gently running his hand through her damp black hair.

Nya rolled her eyes. "Yes, _mum_." But she followed his advice nonetheless.

"I'm gonna pack a few things for Abby and Rob, my parents should be here to pick them up soon." Jay remarked, standing up.

"Okay, thanks." Nya said. "I'll try to get up now as well and come downstairs, to kiss them goodbye. I probably have the same stuff they had, so the kids should be immune. Unlike you..."

"Does that mean I won't get a kiss?" Jay pouted playfully.

Despite her piercing headache, Nya had to laugh at her husband's antics, which unfortunately resulted in another coughing fit.

"Well, I sure hope you are not scared now and go with them, leaving a sick and miserable me here all alone." She finally managed to bring out.

"Don't worry, I will _never_ leave you." He said, his blue eyes locking with hers. "I love you, Nya."

"I love you too, Jay." Nya replied. "But I still won't kiss you now. You are just too unbearable when you are sick."

* * *

When Nya had finally managed to get up and change from her sweaty nightgown into a fresh top and comfortable leggings, Jay had already finished packing the children's overnight bag for their stay with the grandparents and was waiting for her outside their room.

It was not a big bag anyway, Abigail and Robert pretty much only needed to bring their toothbrushes, their dragon plushies, and their current favourite bedtime story book. Both sets of grandparents kept a set of the most needed items, including spare clothes (suitable for playing at the junkyard and blacksmith shop, respectively), strawberry-scented shampoo and body wash, nappies and wipes for the younger children, and colourful plastic tableware at their homes.

Together, the married couple slowlt walked along the corridor. Seeing that she was on rather wobbly legs, the Lightning Ninja placed an arm around his sick wife's slim waist to support her, and the usually strong and independent young woman gratefully leaned against him.

In the living room, the children were sitting on the sofa, their eyes glued to the television. But as soon they heard their parents enter the room, they jumped up and ran to their mother.

"Mummy." Abby cheered. "You feelin' better?"

"A little bit, honey." Nya gave her daughter a weak smile.

"Ma-ma." The smaller boy tucked at her trousers, looking at her expectantly with his big brown eyes.

"Sorry, sweetie." Nya told her son. "I'm afraid, mummy can't lift you up today."

"But I can." Jay let go of her waist to pick up their son and placed him on his shoulders to carry him into the living room, tickling his feet along the way.

Abby and her mother followed the pair, but Nya had to stop when another coughing fit overtook her.

"You needa cough in you' eyebrow." The girl lectured her mother, demonstrating the correct technique of coughing into her _elbow_ , as she had learned at playgroup. "An' you needa lie down." She gestured at the sofa.

Nya followed her instructions, and 'Nurse Abby' started gathering some cushions and blankets from around the room and putting them in her mother's back and on top of her, respectively. The younger boy watched his older sister with great interest, before he started copying her.

When the children were finally satisfied with their work, they quietly sat down on the floor in front of the sofa and proudly smiled at their mother, or rather the pile of cushions and blankets under which she was buried.

"We're goin' for a sleepover with granny Edna an' grandpa Ed." The blue eyed girl informed her. "But you don' need to be sad. Daddy'll take care of you, okay?"

"Okay, sweetheart." Nya nodded.

Robbie stood up from the floor and walked to the huge box of toys they had in one of the corners of the family's main room. When the two-year old returned, he was holding a big electric blue teddy bear that he placed into Nya's arms. "And Mr Zaptwap take care too." He said.

Uncle Cole had given the soft toy to his little godson for his first birthday - and Uncle Kai had named him.

"Thanks, Robbie." Nya softly ruffled the boy's messy brown hair. "I am sure that with such good care from both daddy _and_ Mr Zaptrap, I will be fine again when you come back from granny and grandpa tomorrow."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. The kids excitedly raced to the door.

"Granny, grandpa." They cheered.

"Ah, my little darlings. Are you feeling better again?" Nya could hear her mother-in-law enquire.

"And how much you two have grown again." Ed added. "Take a note, Edna."

"Mum, dad. Thank you so much for taking them." Jay greeted his parents. "Abby, what did mummy and I tell you about answering the door?" He asked his daughter in a stern voice.

"Sowwy, daddy." The girl apologised.

"It's okay, darling." Nya smiled hearing her husband's voice soften again. Jay could _never_ stay mad at his precious little girl for long. "You just didn't want to let your grandparents wait outside in the cold, right?"

"Yes, daddy. Not want granny an' grandpa get sick too."

"Awww, that's our little girl." Edna cooed.

" _Big_ girl." Abigail insisted. "Robbie's little. An' Tori's even littler."

"You are right, sweetie." Edna then peeked into the living room. "Nya, dearie. Sorry to hear you are a bit under the weather."

"Thanks, Edna." Nya tiredly smiled at her husband's mother. "And thanks for helping us."

"Oh, not at all." She exclaimed. "We are always happy to have our two _big_ little helpers around at the junkyard. Aren't we, Ed?"

"Of course, my sugarplum." Ed appeared behind his wife, carrying Robbie. "Get some rest, Nya, and let us take care of these two."

"And Jay, you need to take good care of Nya." Edna added in a stern voice.

"Don't worry, mum. I will." Jay kissed his mother's cheek. "Thanks again."

The Water Ninja sighed in relief when the door finally closed after the two oldest and the two youngest members of the Walker family. As much as she loved her children (and her in-laws of course), her pounding head was incredibly grateful for the sudden absence of noise in the house.

Enjoying the peace and quiet, Nya leaned back against the pile of cushions in her back and closed her eyes.

When she woke up again, she found Jay sitting in an armchair, reading a _Starfarers_ comic book (that he insisted he had only made the subscription for for their children - at a time when their oldest had only been two months old).

"Hey Sleeping Beauty." He put the book down and smiled at her.

"Hey." She smiled back, slowly sitting up. "How long was I out?"

"Almost two hours." He replied. "But it's not like you've missed much. It took me almost an hour to clean up the kitchen from Abs and Rob helping me make breakfast earlier. And I've got some chicken soup cooking on the oven. My parents went shopping for us before they came here for the two monkeys."

"Sounds great." Nya still wasn't very hungry, but she appreciated his efforts. While his kitchen skills had never matched Zane's - and then later P.I.X.A.L.'s as well - Jay had always been one of the better cooks in their team, thanks to his mother's teaching. He was definitely a lot better than his wife. And in contrast to Nya, he even enjoyed it.

"It still needs a bit, so I am all yours now." Jay wiggled his eyebrows.

Nya sneezed in response. "Then maybe you could start by bringing me a new box of tissues." She asked.

"Yes, ma'm." He saluted and got up to get the requested item for her.

"Anything else you need?" He asked, putting the box on the table in front of the sofa.

"Yes." Nya smiled. "Can I get a hug?"

"Hun, you can _always_ get a hug from me. Especially when I am not allowed to kiss you." Jay removed some of the cushions and put them on the floor so he could sit down on the sofa next to his wife. He put his arms around her and Nya snuggled into his side and immediately fell asleep again.


	27. Acquired Taste

**Not sure if anyone still reads this, but I have loads of Jaya stories written so might as well post them here :).**

 **Ths one shot was written for a Writing Challenge given by one of my friends _Amy4Walker_ on wattpad: 'write a Season 8 Jaya moment'. The story is set at the beginning of episode 83 but mentions something that happened earlier in the season and has been bugging me ever since ;).**

* * *

Just an Acquired Taste?

"Mo'. Mo'." Little Wu sqealed as Nya kept spinning him around. Following the arrests of Harumi and the Sons of Garmadon, the Ninja were celebrating their victory at _Laughy's_ , by Dareth's invitation, i.e. the brown Ninja's insistence.

"Phew, you're getting heavy from drinking all that tea; I think I need a little break now, okay?" Nya put him down.

The boy pouted. "Ninja neve' quit." He stated firmly.

"And I'm not quitting." The Master of Water chuckled, planting a quick kiss on his tiny nose. "I promise I'll dance with you again later, sweetie, but first, I'd like to sit down for a bit and talk to Jay now, okay?"

She hadn't spent much time with her boyfriend recently. First, the team had temporarily split up searching for Wu, and then the last couple of days had been rather busy - to put it mildly. And it almost felt to Nya as if Jay had even avoided being alone with her... taken together, she really needed to talk to him right now.

"'kay." The child agreed, visibly disappointed.

"What about I'll song you a song instead?" The Master of Earth suggested, lifting him onto his shoulders.

"Yay." Wu cheered. "I wunt Li'l Glow Wo'm. Pweeeaaase."

As Cole started singing his signature song, Nya made her way over to the table where _some_ of her teammates, including her boyfriend, were sitting.

Only Lloyd and his mother were sitting on a separate table in a corner. Understandably, the green Ninja didn't feel much like celebrating as he was still struggling to come to terms with with the princess' betrayal – and how easily she had managed to play him.

While Kai and Zane were happily chatting to each other, Nya noticed that Jay was not taking part in their conversation, which was very unusual for the chatty blue Ninja. Instead, he was silently staring at his drink – that he had hardly touched – his purple party hat was sitting on the table instead of on top of his messy brown curls.

Nya gently touched his arm, causing the Master of Lightning to turn his head to look at her with those stunning sapphire orbs she loved so much. Yet, right now they were not sparkling as bright as they normally did.

"Hey." Nya smiled. "Mind if I join you?" She winked at her boyfriend.

"Sure." He replied, less than excited. "Choose a seat."

"Thanks." Nya beamed at him, sitting down next to her boyfriend and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"So, the Ninja have saved the day once again, right?" She started, expecting him to crack a joke or boast about his abilities. But neither happened.

"Yeah, I guess we did..." He mumbled.

"Are you alright?" She asked softly, placing her hand on his arm.

"Did you mean it?" He suddenly snapped.

"Wha-what?" Nya was perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

"What you said at the palace."

"Oh, of course, I did. I didn't like her at first but then she got me with all that talking about..."

"No, not _that_." He interrupted her harshly. "When we were training and giving some 'dating advice' to Lloyd. You said that my sense of humour was an _acquired taste_." He looked upset.

Nya understood. "Jay, I'm sorry..." So she hadn't imagined it, he had avoided her since that conversation.

"I know that the guys don't always enjoy my sense of humour but I thought that _you_ liked it. You've always said that I'm the only one who can make you laugh. And that has always been my favourite thing to do. But turned out you were laughing about me rather than my jokes."

"No, I..."

"Why did you never tell me?" He continued undeterred. "Haven't you learned that keeping things from each other was what broke us apart the first time? Or did you think that I am too weak and just couldn't take it?"

Nya looked into his eyes. "That's not true. I do like your sense of humour." She stated. "And I love it when we joke around or when you try to cheer me up. I really do." She took his hand into hers. "But I just didn't think it was the right advice to give to Lloyd. Harumi didn't come over as the kind of person whose affection could be gained by cracking a funny joke."

"And unfortunately for him, it turned out that the way into her heart is through the destruction of Ninjago." Jay muttered somberly.

"Exactly." Nya nodded. "Also, he's not you. As I've told you before, you're the best you. Which includes your sense of humour. And Lloyd's the best him. If he's ever to win a girl's heart it should be by being himself. Not by trying to be someone else. I even went back and explained that to him afterwards. But I should have talked to you about it as well..." She apologised. "I am sorry if I upset you."

"Well, I could have asked you about it rather than avoiding you..." Jay admitted meekly.

Nya smiled at him. "There's only one you, and that one is for me."

"For you alone." He smiled back at her, running his hand through her raven black hair. "I am yours."

"And I am yours. Forever." She cupped his freckled cheeks with her hands. "And how we do that is none of the others' business." Nya drew him in for a deep kiss.

"Uhm, I'm afraid if you start making out at our table, it will become our business..." Kai's voice interrupted them.

Blushing heavily, the couple broke apart.

"And here's another reason why I didn't want to talk about our relationship during a training session." Nya mumbled. "We should have invited Skylor..."

"I've tried, but she is working today." Kai stated.

"So, you're just jealous of us..." His sister smirked. "Get used to _this_." She kissed her boyfriend again, not letting anyone disturb them this time.

"Do you know what is an acquired taste?" The blue Ninja asked when they finally pulled away. "This song."

Cole was still entertaining their littlest team member, repeating the same song over and over again.

"No, it isn't." Nya shook her head. "I don't think I'll _ever_ get used to it."

"C'mon." She put the party hat on Jay's head and pulled him from his seat. "Let's show them how it's done."

"Wait for us." Kai jumped up from his chair, followed by Zane. "Let's all sing together. And I have an idea which song we're gonna do."


	28. Elevator Revelations (AU)

**Thanks everyone for getting back to me. Of course, you don't always have to comment on everything but it's just nice to know that people are still interested in these stories, makes posting them more fun :).**

 **About this story: I've recently started watching the show 'Suits' on Netflix and really wanted to do a Law Firm AU. And this setting worked quite well for a request** **'Trapped in an Elevator' I got from _daniaanlyn_ on wattpad.**

* * *

Elevator Revelations (AU)

 _Getting out now. Meeting ran over because *someone* just wouldn't find an end and shut up. See you in a bit xx_

I press 'send' and throw the phone into my bag before I step into the elevator – and into my well-deserved weekend.

"Wait, please." The doors are just about to close when I hear that familiar annoying voice call out.

I sigh as I hold my hand between the doors to stop them from closing. I really couldn't wait to get away from _him_ but I guess I will have to for 47 more floors before I will finally have two whole days off – and away from Jay Walker.

"Thanks." He flashes me a smile as he comes rushing into the small metal cabin and we are finally on our way down.

I shrug. "No problem." I just hope he won't try to actually _talk_ to me.

I watch from the corner of my eyes as Jay gets a phone out of his pocket, takes a quick look at the screen and puts it away again. "Do you have..." He starts.

"No." I reply. "No reception in here at all."

 _Seriously? He has worked here for much longer than me – must be almost two years – and only finds that out now?_

Jay must have noticed the confused look on my face for he adds: "I usually take the stairs, not too fond of confined spaces." He explains and, taking a closer look at him, I notice that my colleague looks rather uncomfortable. _Aha, so Mr Perfect does have some flaws after all..._

I force myself to give him a reassuring smile. "Well, it shouldn't be too long..." I say. "The lift is very fast."

But I must have jinxed it because just at this very moment, the elevator shakes a couple of times before it comes to a complete stop.

But while I just sigh in defeat, Jay lets out a very loud and very shrill yell. "Aaargh." He cries. "The lift is gonna crash. And we're gonna die..." He starts rambling and pacing around the very tiny space, running his hands through his neatly combed auburn hair. "I did want to get down fast but not _that_ fast..."

Great. Looks like I'm stuck. And with a person who is freaking out about it – and who's probably blaming me for this as well.

"Jay." I firmly grab his arms and force him to stop. "Look at me." I say. "We are _not_ gonna crash. You see, we are not moving at all. The lift is just stuck. It keeps happening all the time..."

He takes a few deep breaths and slowly starts to calm down.

"Thank you." He blushes. "I-I am sorry about that."

"Ah, no need to apologise." I wave it off. "It can be quite scary if you are not used to it. And it's actually nice to see you being... well... _not_ perfect for once." I involuntarily add.

"Whaddayamean?" He asks perplexed.

"Uhm, sorry. I didn't mean to say that out loud." I mumble, feeling my face heat up.

"But you did. Now, tell me. What makes you think that?"

I can probably hand in my letter of resignation on Monday if I get into trouble with Mr Borg's (and pretty much everyone else's) favourite pet, but I can't get out of this now.

"Well, you are the youngest Senior Associate in all of Ninjago. You _always_ know the solution to every problem." _And you like boasting about your brilliant ideas in every single detail._ "All the Partners here fight over who gets you to work with them on their cases. And before you've joined _Julien & Borg_, you've graduated top of your class from Jamanakai College, the most prestigious law school in the country."

 _And the most expensive one._

"Wow, how do you know all that?"

"Knowing stuff is part of my job." I state coolly.

Jay laughs. "That's true." _So, maybe he isn't too mad at me. And he's actually kinda cute when he's not all serious. Wait, what?!_

"I also know that this can take a while to get fixed." I inform him, trying to distract myself from these thoughts. "We might as well sit down."

"Wait." Jay stops me as I am about to sit down on the floor.

He takes off his jacket and places it on the floor. "Here you go." He offers me.

"Thank you." I smile.

"You're welcome."

We sit down next to each other, not saying a word for a while.

I occasionally glance at my seat neighbour and see that Jay keeps nervously biting his lip.

Yes, as much as I try I cannot deny that he _is_ very cute like this, with his slightly tousled hair, his freckled cheeks, and especially with his deep blue eyes. Even the little scar through his right eyebrow doesn't make him any less attractive.

 _Stop staring at him._ I tell myself. _Or at least talk to him so you'll have an excuse to look him in the eyes._

"Uhm... why did you take the lift?" I awkwardly start the conversation.

"Because I was in a hurry." He replies. "The meeting ran over."

"Well, it wouldn't have if you hadn't talked as much..."

"That's true." He agrees. "I do tend to talk a lot, it runs in my family."

"What do your parents do?" I want to know. "Are they lawyers as well? They must be very proud of you."

"They are." He smiles fondly. "But my parents are not lawyers, they are inventors and have a scrapyard in the Sea of Sands."

"What?" I gasp. Now _that_ I didn't expect at all.

"It's true." He nods. "It was actually a great place to grow up as a kid, just a bit lonely because we lived so far away from everything. I even was homeschooled by my parents because there was no public school anywhere nearby."

His eyes lock with. "Nya, do you know _why_ I went to Law School at Jamanakai?" He asks.

"Because... it's the best one?" I guess.

"No." He shakes his head. "Because it was the only ones who offered me a full scholarship. My parents simply couldn't afford to pay the tuition fees for any of the other colleges."

"Oh..."

"When I got there, it wasn't always easy being the _poor junkyard boy_ , so simply wanted to prove to everyone that I truly deserved to have that scholarship and worked extra hard to get top grades. And then, when Mr Borg hired me, I wanted to show _him_ that he's made the right choice. I am sorry if I come over as a show-off to you."

"And I am sorry for judging you before knowing more about you."

He gently nudges me. "And you can't really blame me for working hard." He says. "As far as I know, _you_ were top of your class as well."

"You know that?"

"Of course I do." He smirks. "Knowing stuff is part of my job."

"And apparently, you are the only associate who's ever managed to get along with Mr Ronin."

"Yes, but he doesn't take me serious, he keeps calling me _Sweetheart_."

"From what I've heard, he thinks you are one of the most talented graduates he's ever hired. You just need to toughen up a bit and not take everything, that's why he keeps teasing you."

"You mean I should just tell a Senior Partner to stop hitting on me?"

"I do." He nods. "I believe that's exactly what he _wants_ you to do. And you've just told me what you think of me, was it that difficult?"

"No, but I didn't mean to. But it has now made me start to change my mind about you."

"And I think it can help you change your mind about Mr Ronin as well."

"Okay, I'll think about it..." I agree.

"Deal." He beams at me.

"But then you've got to tell me who you've tried calling earlier."

"Bolobo's Flower Shop." Jay replies. "I've ordered a special bouquet from them and just wanted to check if it was ready." He looks at his watch. "Oh no. They are closed now." He exclaims.

"Your _girlfriend_ is very lucky." I state with a hint – _but only a tiny hint!_ – of jealousy. Jay is totally the kind of guy who brings flowers or other little gifts to a date. The last time _I_ got flowers was for my High School Prom. To be honest, I've not been very lucky in relationships at all; my last date even turned up drunk and puked all over the table, which has put me a bit off dating altogether.

"Oh, I have no girlfriend." He quickly says. "It's my ma's birthday tomorrow. Her favourite flowers are thistles, which are not very common in bouquets, so I've had them specially ordered in."  
"Awww, that's very sweet of you." I remark. "So, I take it you are going home for the weekend?"

"Yes, I tend to visit them on most weekends, it's nice to get out of the city. I am leaving early tomorrow morning, so I was hoping to collect my ma's present tonight." He explained. "What are you doing?"

"I am having dinner with some friends tonight. My best friend's dad is _Master Chen_ , he owns the noodle house. They are probably all there already, waiting for _me_." I answer. "Maybe I should go home and see my parents tomorrow as well." To be honest, I haven't been home for a few weekends.

"What do your parents do?" Jay enquires.

"They are both blacksmiths." I tell him. "They have a shop, the _Four Weapons_ , in Ignacia."

"I've heard of them." Jay looks impressed. "I think my parents have bought some scrap metal from them before. And I don't know much about fighting with weapons rather than with your word, but they are supposed to make the best swords and armours for Samurai in all of Ninjago."

"They've always told me that they've only become this good because they've got to do the work they love together with the person they love."

"That's funny." Jay chuckles. "My parents have given me the same advice..."

"Oh..."

We simultaneously blush and turn our faces away from each other. For a while, we keep sitting there in an embarrassed silence, until suddenly the lights flicker and the cabin drops about half a metre, shaking violently.

"Aaargh." Jay screams as he jumps up. "Wha-what's happening?" He shouts. "You-you've said we were not going to crash." He accusingly points the finger at me. "You've _promised_."

I get up as well and wrap my arms around his shaking frame. "Ssh, it's okay." I say soothingly, running my hands along his back. "I always does this before it starts moving again."

I feel him bury his face into my black hair as I lean against his chest. _This feels nice..._

We stand like this until the elevator finally starts to _slowly_ descend and I can feel him relax. We then reluctantly let go of each other. Jay picks up his now creased grey jacket from the floor and puts it on while I take my handbag.

Soon, we have reached the ground floor and the lift come to a gentle stop. When the metal doors finally open, we both let out a sigh of relief as we exit our small prison cell.

We stay in front of the elevator, facing each other.

"So..." I say, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "We've made it."

"Barely..." He mumbles. "Thank you again."

"Not at all." I smile. "I've actually enjoyed the company."

"Me too." He smiles back. "But I still prefer the stairs."

"I might give them a try as well..." Not sure I will though, walking up 47 floors is quite a workout. "I'll see you on Monday."

"Have a good weekend, Nya. Enjoy your dinner."

"Thanks you too. And Happy Birthday to your mum."

Together, we leave the tall office building through the glass doors before, following a very quick hug, we walk away in separate directions.

As I make my way to the bus stop, I check my phone. Seven messages and three missed calls from my best friend.

 _Stupid lift got stuck. On my way to the bus now._ I reply to Skylor.

But luck really isn't on my side this evening for, of course, I have just missed my bus and the next one won't come for another 20 minutes.

While I am contemplating whether or not to spend some money on a cab, a familiar voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"You need a lift?" Jay, sitting on a blue motorcycle, grins at me.

"Jay." I exclaim in surprise. "I didn't know you have a motorbike."

"And here I thought knowing stuff is part of your job." He winks at me.

"I am only a first year, still learning." I retort. "Are you sure about that offer?"

He shrugs. "Well, the flower shop is closed and it's kinda my fault you're running late..."

"It's your fault the meeting ran over, but I really can't blame you for the lift..."

"Okay, if you prefer to wait for the next bus and let your friends wait even longer..."

"Wait." I call. "I-I'd love a ride." I climb onto the bike behind my new friend (and maybe – just maybe – a little crush). "But only if you're joining us for dinner."


	29. Lightning and Thunderblade

**I wasn't gonna publish this chapter today, having already updated TOTGA earlier, but then I saw the Sneak Preview from the SDCC Ninjago Panel which got me into Jaya fangirl mode :), so here you are.**

 **This one shot was a request for _Loki-God-Of-Chaos_ on ****wattpad, originally written and published there as a three-parter (I've marked the parts with those long horizontal paragraph break lines).**

 **It is** **pretty much** _ **Ninja Roll**_ **(from** _ **ToE**_ **and one of my favourite Ninjago episodes) written from Nya's perspective (and with some Jaya of course). The kids are from my other storyline.**

 **[I had to cheat a little bit though because Nya was not on Chen's Island at this time yet and the Ninja were already awake when they got the skates (plus a few more little details).]**

* * *

Lightning and Thunderblade

"Hurry up, mummy." Five-year old Robert Walker complained as his mother was lacing his roller skates. "Abby 'n ev'yone else are a'ready skating." The brunette boy pointed at his seven-year old sister who, with her father and older cousin, happily waved at them as they were going around the skating track.

The Walker and Smith families were having a picnic in the park, to celebrate the beginning of spring as well as Nya's Birthday. And all the children (and this included her husband) were excited to try out the new skating rink.

"Not everyone, honey." The Water Ninja stated. "Amber isn't ready yet either." Her headstrong little niece had insisted on putting on the skates herself, and now her mother was still trying to untie the tangled laces. "And I would have been a lot faster if you could keep still for just a minute." She told the boy who was excitedly kicking his short legs.

 _It's definitely a lot easier when they are asleep._ Nya remembered.

—-

 _"What are we supposed to do with these?" Nya wondered, as she and the other kabuki girls were each handed a pair of roller skates. "Please don't tell me we have to dance in these for Chen..."_

 _Nya was not a great skater. Granted, she was not as bad as her brother but neither of them had ever learned to do it properly._

 _"No, these are for the next event in the Tournament:_ Energy _versus_ Form _." The girl next to her informed the Samurai. "We need to put them on the Elemental Masters."_

 _"Clouse has put a spell on them so that they won't wake up." Another servant added. "But we need to hurry before it wears off."_

This means that Clouse can do magic _, Nya thought as she followed the other dancers to the chow house, where the contestants had to sleep tonight. The girl had only arrived on the island the previous evening and she was still not too familiar with the surroundings._

 _She was excited to see her (former) teammates after what had been quite a long time, even though she would not be able to interact with them. She just wanted to see that they were all doing alright. From what she had just heard, she only knew that Lloyd would have to compete now. But what about the other three?_

 _"Oooh, I want the red Ninja, pleeeaaase." The kabuki walking ahead of Nya exclaimed. "He's sooo hot."_

 _Nya smiled. Her brother was still in the tournament. And apparently as popular as ever._

 _"It's a shame the black one is out." Another one sighed. "He's my favourite."_

 _The Samurai was surprised to hear that Cole was already out. How could_ that _have happened, the Master of Earth was the strongest of the four remaining Ninja... and what about..._

 _"Did you see that fight?" Another dancer chimed in. "It was so cruel of Chen to put two of the Ninja up against each other..."_

 _Cole had been defeated by one of his brothers? Who? And why had nobody mentioned Jay? Was he alright?_

 _"What about..." She began._

 _"From what I've heard, they used to be best friends." The girl interrupted her. Nya's heart fell._ Jay _had beaten_ Cole _? That had hardly ever happened in training. He must still hate the black Ninja that much. And only because of_ her _..._

 _"It must be a very special girl they were fighting over." The first kabuki remarked._

 _"Sounds more like a cruel b*** who's played both of them." The second one said._

 _"Well, I am glad they made amends, this girl just does not deserve_ either _of them." The third one stated. And right now, Nya certainly felt that way too._

 _"But Chen was_ not _happy to see them team up..." The first girl noted. "And now it's pretty much all the other fighters against the Ninja..."_

 _"The race is definitely going to be interesting." Her friend agreed. "I hope we can watch it."_

 _"Quiet now." Clouse hissed. They had reached the door to the Masters' temporary quarters. "My magic may be strong, but your chattering would even wake the dead."_

If you think we talk a lot, you can't have heard much of Jay so far. _Nya thought as she entered the spacious room. The madeshift beds did not look too comfortable, but at least Kai and Jay were used to worse from when they had first found the_ Destiny's Bounty _._

 _"The green Ninja is mine." One of the girls exclaimed._

 _"And I take the blue one." Nya automatically replied._ I'm not gonna let any of you touch him...

 _She anxiously approached his bed. But she didn't have to worry at all. Jay was in deep sleep, a cute little smile on his face, and hugging the small pillow he had been given._

 _And he probably wouldn't recognise her under all this make-up anyway, he had always preferred her natural appearance._

 _From the bottom end, Nya slowly lifted up the thin blanket to reveal the Master of Lightning's feet. She seriously hoped that he had taken a shower after the fight._

 _Nya put the skates on his feet and then retracted to one of the corner with the other kabuki, as Clouse finally entered the room as well, sounding a gong to break the spell and wake up the Elemental Masters._

—-

"Here you go." Nya, who had finally completed her task, kissed her son's freckled cheek.

"Muuum." Robbie whined, wiping his cheek with his sleeve. "You're just as bad as gran'ma Edna..."

"Where are your knee pads?" His mother asked, undeterred by his complaints.

The boy shook his head. "Don't need 'em." He claimed.

"Yes, you do." Nya insisted, handing him the protective gear. "Abby is wearing them as well."

"No, she don't."

The raven-haired woman looked over to her daughter. And indeed, there she was, elegantly gliding over the track, her long brown hair flowing in the wind – and her knee and elbow protectors lying on the grass next to the rink.

"Abigail Walker." Nya yelled, pointing at the padded items.

"Calm down, honey." Jay, who had just returned to the picnic spot to collect their son for his first skating lesson, wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her in a gentle embrace. "She's _my_ daughter."

Nya laughed. "Yes, but she's also my brother's niece."

—-

 _Nya watched her brother and two friends getting up from their beds. And Kai almost immediately hitting the floor with his behind._

 _She had to admit that the three of them looked really good in those new, rather revealing suits they had been given._

 _Although the red and green Ninja were not a very reassuring sight otherwise. Kai was struggling to stay on his two feet – or eight wheels. And Lloyd seemed to have a problem with his back._

 _Out of all the contestants, Jay seemed to be the only one who was truly enjoying this. The kabuki girls watched in awe as he glided around the room and even along the counter._

 _Nya smiled. Jay was still the only one who knew how to make her laugh, even involuntarily. She would never admit it, but she had secretly watched every single episode of the_ Most Ultimate Extreme Ninja Challenge Ever _he had done._

 _"If I go down, I might as well go down laughing." He had once said._

 _Whatever happened, Jay Walker would always find a positive thing about it. Well, except for those two things that in the end had driven all of them apart..._

 _"Did I ever mention I once placed first in the mother-son skate-off?" He cheered._

 _He hadn't, but Edna had mentioned it to Nya, and his then-girlfriend had even seen the cute pictures._

 _"Aww, I wouldn't mind letting him teach me to skate." One of the kabukis swooned._

 _"If he keeps going like this, he will probably need a massage after the race..." The kabuki formerly known as Kai's biggest fan remarked._

 _Nya glared at her. "Back off." She hissed._

 _"As far as I know, he's available." The other retorted. "And you are new here anyway, so don't tell me what to do or what not to."_

 _Nya suddenly remembered her mission. She was here to find her team and bring all five of them back. She could not blow her cover just because she wanted to protect her boyfriend – no,_ ex _-boyfriend! Also, she had been the one who had broken up with him, so Nya had no reason to be possessive of him at all. And she totally wasn't jealous either._

 _Not. At. All._

* * *

 _Together with the other kabuki dancers, Nya went to watch the race from the stands._

 _"I looove Thunderblade." One of the other girls exclaimed._

 _"How does it work?" The Samurai enquired._

 _"Oh, it's very easy." Her new friend told her. "Two Masters – here we have Energy and Form – have to race each other around the track. They each get to hold a Jade Blade and every time they cross the finish line with their blade, they score a point."_

 _"That_ is _easy." Nya agreed, mildly surprised. With Lloyd competing in this race, she wouldn't have expected Chen to play fair at all. "But what about the others?"_

 _"That's where the real fun starts." The other kabuki grinned as she pointed at the green and orange helmets. "They each get to pick a side and support their champion – or rather prevent the other one from scoring."_

 _"Oh." The girl noticed that, apart from Kai and Jay, everyone had picked an orange helmet, showing their support for the Master of Form. Things were_ not _looking good for the Ninja at all._

—-

From outside the rink, Nya watched as, tightly clutching to his father's hand, her little boy slowly made his first steps on eight wheels. And 'steps' was probably the right word as the _click-clacking_ sounds from the skates suggested that he was walking rather than gliding over the track.

"C'mon, Robbie. Relax, this is supposed to be fun." Jay encouraged his son. "Try bending your knees a bit more, don't keep them straight. Like this."

The brown eyed child copied his father who smiled proudly at him. "That's much better. You're doing really great, son. And now push one foot out and glide a little bit. We're here to skate and not to walk, right?"

"But we're _Walkers_." Robbie smirked.

"Your son has inherited his father's sense of humour." Kai remarked as he joined his sister at the side of the track.

"At least _your_ son hasn't got his father's skating skills." She retorted, pointing at her daughter and nephew, who were racing each other around the course. "And Amber's doing pretty good as well for her first time." Kai and Skylor's youngest child was practicing with her mother.

"That's true." Kai admitted. "I could have definitely used those knee pads."

"And maybe another one for your behind." Nya laughed.

—-

 _And it only got worse._

 _When the race started, Lloyd and Chamille immediately took off, skating side by side and ahead of the crowd – whereas the first thing Kai did in this competition was to land flat on his back._

 _In his red outfit and with his arms and legs in the air he reminded her of an upside-down ladybug._

 _And during the first couple of laps he got to spend more time like this than on his feet._

 _Lloyd on the other hand was skating fairly well. And then there was Jay..._

 _"If he wasn't the Master of Lightning, I would say that the blue Ninja is 'in his element' here." One of the kabuki girls giggled._

 _Despite the horrible pun, Nya had to agree with her. Jay really was an amazing skater. And although he had to support Lloyd pretty much all on his own, he was still enjoying the race._

 _And watching him skate was rather enjoyable as well._

 _At some point, the three Ninja found themselves stuck behind the group of Masters from Team Chamille. Neither Lloyd nor Kai were confident enough yet to use their elements._

 _Jay, however, performed a little spin, using his powers to zap Shade to create a little opening for the Green Ninja to pass through – only to have Kai crash into him straight away._

 _"You're supposed to be helping, not ruining his chances." Lightning chided Fire, as he helped the red Ninja get up._

 _"Thanks for the tip, but I can't skate." Kai replied. This really wasn't in any way a surprising revelation._

 _"Thunderblade never fails to deliver." Master Chen cheered, obviously enjoying the mayhem on the track – and the fact that the Master of Form was ahead of Lloyd on the leaderboard._

 _In order to show his support for her, he pressed a few buttons, causing a ramp to shoot up from the floor just in front of Lloyd. Nya held her breath as the young man managed to do a backflip and even land on his feet again._

 _Kai didn't._

—-

"Don't be afraid, daddy's got you" The Master of Lightning told his son. Jay was now skating backwards, holding the boy's hands in his own to guide him. "I won't let you fall down." He promised.

"Whoohoo. Great job, Rob." Abigail cheered as she and Matthew passed the father-son pair on another speed lap.

"Your sister is right." Jay nodded. "This is really good. Try to lengthen your strides a bit now."

"I wouldn't have guessed your husband has become such a good teacher." Kai remarked. "He always used to be the impatient one."

"Oh, he still is." Nya assured her brother. "But he would do just _anything_ for the kids."

"And for you as well." Kai said. "He would even share his last pudding with you."

"I-I guess so." She blushed.

"You're a natural, Robbie." Jay cheered as the boy loosened his grip on his hands.. "Just don't forget to bend your knees..."

"Great, why didn't he tell _me_ all those little tricks?" Kai mumbled.

"When it comes to roller skating, he can get a little competitive..." Nya said.

—-

 _A few laps later, everything and everyone seemed to have calmed down a little bit._

 _While Kai was still struggling to stay on his wheels, Jay and Lloyd were skating together and, although Lloyd was still behind on the scoreboard, they were steadily catching up._

 _All in all, it was going quite well for two out of the remaining three Ninja, until Shade suddenly appeared behind them, shoving Lloyd from behind and making him drop his blade in the process._

 _"Booooo." The choir of kabuki dancers yelled as Paleman picked up the weapon from the floor. But their shouting immediately turned to cheering when the Master of Lightning gave the Master of Light a not-so-gentle push with his elbow, knocking him off the track._

 _"You didn't learn_ that _in your Mother-Son skate off, did you?" Lloyd was just as surprised (and impressed) as everyone else about the blue Ninja's very determined action._

 _"It was a fierce competition, Lloyd." Jay informed him, returning the blade to the Green Ninja. "And this isn't the time to judge, it is the time to skate faster."_

 _As they crossed the line, Nya could feel her heart beat faster in her chest. Unlike Lloyd – or Cole – Jay had never been type to lead. But now that the fate of the team rested on his nicely toned shoulders, he had stepped up and accepted the task._

 _Nya definitely liked this new side of him._

 _—-_

"Mum, uncle Kai, look at me." Abby called out to her mother and uncle. The seven-year old was spinning on her skates.

"Wow, it almost looks like you're doing Spinjitzu." Nya proudly.

"Yes, I'm getting dizzy just from watching you." Kai told his niece.

"I am _not_ dizzy." She boasted. "And when will I learn Spinjitzu?"

"I'm afraid you and your friends will have to wait a few more years for that, sweetheart."

"Not fair." Abigail pouted.

"But until then, dad can maybe show you and Mattie a few more tricks with your skates." Nya suggested.

 _—-_

 _From her position among the other girls, Nya saw Kai fall for the umpteenth time on this early morning._

 _But luckily, the two other Ninja had by now gotten used to this red obstacle on the course, so instead of tripping over his teammate, Jay simply did a perfectly executed summersault over him, just in front of his female fans._

 _"Whoohoo." Nya cheered. "Go Jay."_

 _Hearing someone calling out his name rather than his title, the Master of lightning turned around to look at the girl. Slowly skating backwards, he flashed her his typical crooked smile and waved at her. When Nya waved back, he blew her a kiss before turning back and skating away, leaving her wondering whether this was just still a part of his show master act – or if he had recognised her even through all the make-up..._

 _But she didn't have much time to dwell on that thoughts. With Lloyd being only one point behind the Master of Form, Chamille's teammates had started to target the three friends again._

 _"Watch out for that poison cloud." Jay warned the others, having seen Toxicita use her powers._

 _He and Lloyd just managed to avoid it._

 _Whereas Kai, well, he didn't._

 _—-_

"Whooohooo. Go Robbie."

Nya excitedly cheered at her husband and son as they passed by her and Kai's position.

The freckled little boy had gained enough skills and confidence to skate alongside his father, only holding onto one of his hands.

With his free hand, Jay waved at her, flashing his wife one of his typical crooked smiles.

Nya waved back, making his smile suddenly turn into a smirk. Jay he winked at his wife as he blew her a quick kiss.

But before Nya could react in any way, he took off and skated away, pulling his son after him.

And after all these years, the former Samurai finally had her answer.

Yes, he _had_ recognised her back then.

* * *

 _While Nya and the other kabuki girls were loudly supporting the Ninja, Master Chen was doing everything he could – mainly by pushing buttons and shouting instructions – to help extend the Master of Form's lead._

 _"Release the buggy." Nya even heard him tell his guards._

 _"Look out, guys." The Samurai in disguise whispered, as she watched the Jungle Raider getting on the track and chasing after the Ninja._

 _"Look out, Lloyd." Jay yelled – almost as if he was responding to his ex-girlfriend's warning – and he pushed the Green Ninja out of the way, just as the car was about to hit him._

 _"Phew." Nya sighed in relief, wiping her forehead. She was glad that Dareth had used waterproof make-up; otherwise the spy would surely have been recognised in this heated atmosphere by now._

 _And it didn't look like she (or her teammates) would be able to relax anytime soon for Chamille had grabbed onto the buggy and was getting pulled around the course._

 _"This isn't fair." The fake kabuki dancer complained. "What does_ this _have to do with roller skating?"_

 _"All is fair in love and war." One of the other girls shrugged. "And in Thunderblade."_

 _But down in the rink, not everyone seemed to agree with this 'rule'._

 _"She's in the lead and she gets a lift?" Lloyd asked incredulously. "I know Chen wants me out but_ this _is getting ridiculous..."_

 _And Nya couldn't agree more._

— _-_

The family outing had suddenly turned into a fierce competition when Abigail Sky Walker and Matthew Ray Smith had started chasing each other.

"Out of the wayyy." Abby cried as she was heading directly towards her younger brother. Jay, who was still holding onto the boy's hand, just managed to pull his son out of the girl's path. With his free arm, he caught Robbie and immediately wrapped him in a comforting hug.

He then led the shaking boy to the side of the rink, where Robbie sat down on the ground.

"Don't worry, he's fine." Jay reassured his worried wife who came rushing towards them. "Just a bit shaken up."

The boy mustered a little smile at his mother. "I'm fine." He nodded.

"You're a very brave boy." Nya affectionately ruffled the boy's messy brown hair. "I think I will need to have a little word with your sister. This is _not_ a race track..."

Kai smirked at his brother in law. "Good catch."

"I've got some practice evading rogue skaters..."

"Good thing you didn't _push_ him out of the way. Or crash into him."

"Don't listen to Uncle Kai." Jay told his son. "He's just jealous that you're already a better skater than he will ever be. Daddy _never_ falls."

—-

 _While Kai was still struggling to stay of his feet, Jay had taken matters into his own hands – and elbows._

 _"Sorry Tox. Must be my allergies kicking in." He smirked as he shoved yet another opponent off the track._

 _Although this_ was _a serious situation, Nya let out a little giggle. Jay still was the only one who could make her laugh, although he didn't even know that she was here. Or, did he?_

 _But unfortunately, she wasn't the only one who had enjoyed the joke. Her fellow kabuki were all cheering and clapping for him._

 _And the Master of Lightning, still used to being a TV star and showman, started doing little tricks for his all-female audience. But, of course, in an environment like this, no good deed remains unpunished, as Griffin Turner took advantage of Jay's being distracted. He snuck up to him from behind and pushed him around the course at high speed, seemingly even too fast for Jay's liking._

 _And just for once on this early morning, Kai was the last Ninja standing as Jay was sent crashing right into Lloyd._

—-

"Are you okay? Do you want to try again?" Jay asked his son who nodded eagerly.

"Then let's go." The father offered the boy a hand, to pull him up and back onto the track.

Nya watched as her husband and son slowly skated into the middle of the rink, where Skylor was teaching her daughter how to stop.

"I wish I had learned how to do _that_." She heard Kai next to her mumble.

—-

 _Jay's involuntary speed lap had given the red Ninja an idea. Using his fire powers, he propelled himself forward. Surprisingly, Kai managed to stay on his skates for almost a full lap. But then he realised that he had absolutely no idea how to slow down. So, he stopped the only way he knew – by crashing into someone, sending them both onto the floor._

 _Luckily, his 'brake pad' happened to be the Master of Form, who even dropped her blade in the process. Jay, who was just passing by, picked it up and took off before Chamille could even react._

 _"Nice Kai, now you're cooking with Fire." He complimented the red Ninja, who once again was lying flat on the floor._

 _—-_

"What about a little game?" Jay suggested to the four children who were gathered around him, holding up a little wooden stick. "Do you think you can catch me?"

"I can. I can." Abby jumped up and down on her roller skates.

"Me too." Matthew claimed.

 _Jay was skating backwards, waving the Jade Blade in front of Chamille who was trying to catch up with him. Needless to say, the Master of Form was not happy about it at all._

 _"I got it, you want it. Come and get it. Come and get it." He teased her, skilfully dodging all her attacks._

 _In the stands, the kabuki dancers were excitedly jumping up and down, cheering for him. And Nya was by far the loudest of them all._

 _—-_

"Alright, Robbie and me are one team. So are Abs and Matt." He suggested. "And Amber is with her mum, okay?"

"It's been a while that we've been on opposing teams." Skylor smirked at the Master of Lightning. "You'd better prepare for defeat."

 _With the help of Skylor and Neuro, the three Ninja had managed to get all the Elemental Masters to work together rather than against each other. Thanks to the red and orange Ninja, Lloyd had even taken control of the buggy and was closing the gap on Chamille._

 _"Buttons. Buttons." In a desperate attempt to stop him, the Master of Noodles kept randomly hitting buttons, but the green Jungle Raider easily got past any obstacle that Chen would put in his way._

 _But if Lloyd had one major fault, it was that the kid was just too naïve and trusting. When he offered a hand to his opponent, Chamille simply responded by pulling him out of the vehicle._

 _"What a b****!" The girl next to Nya cried. But the Samurai couldn't help but feel sorry for the purple-haired woman._

 _Chamille had just lost all her supporters. And if she decided to Lloyd's side, she was going to lose the race and be out of the tournament. Her only chance was to keep fighting, even if she was on her own._

Maybe taking someone's hand is a sign of weakness. Ans not taking it may be the only way to ensure your independence. _Nya thought._ Even if it means you get left behind.

—-

After a fierce roller skating derby, the six competitors took off their skates and the two families returned to their picnic blanket where the four exhausted children started happily munching their snacks.

Jay put his arm around his wife's shoulder and pulled her against him.

"Happy Birthday, Sweetheart." He whispered into her ear. "I love you, Nya."

"I love you too." She replied.

"Are you enjoying your little party?" He asked.

"I am." She smiled at her rather sweaty husband. "And I'd say so are you and the kids."

"Why didn't you join us?" He wanted to know.

"Oh, I prefer watching you skate." She grinned.

"I know." He smirked. "I've actually known that for quite a while." He pulled her into a deep kiss.

"Can't you do that at home?" Kai complained. "People are eating here."

Nya rolled her eyes. "Kai, will you ever get used to it?"

"Will you ever stop doing this in front of me?" He retorted.

"I don't think so." His sister laughed.

"There you've got my answer as well..."

"But _I_ still haven't got my answer why you don't wannna skate with me." Jay stated.

"I'm not that good." Nya started. _And I don't like doing things I'm likely to fail at._ "Plus, I have no skates."

Jay reached into the picnic basket and took out a blue gift box. "Happy Birthday, Nya." He said.

And when the Master of Water opened to box, she was _not_ surprised to find a pair of brand new roller skates inside.

"You've planned this all along, haven't you?" She sighed.

 _If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to make it happen_. He had told her once. And it looked like he _really_ wanted her to skate with him.

—-

 _The race was getting close to its end. The other Masters had silently agreed to stop interfering with the outcome, and everyone watched in suspense, as the Masters of Energy and Form were on their final lap, side by side and not so gently shoving each other._

 _And just as the time was running out, the two racers crossed the finish line for the final time, with Chamille being just ahead of Lloyd._

 _To her dismay, however, the Master of Form realised that she had dropped her Jade Blade again, thus making Lloyd the winner of the event._

 _And not only that, the Ninja had also made some new friends and allies among the other competitors._

 _On the other hand, Nya had possibly found some new competition among the other kabuki dancers._

 _But, as one of the girls had said earlier,_ all is fair in love and war _._

 _And if there was one thing the Samurai knew about, it was how to fight._

—-

"C'mon." Jay offered her his hand. "I've got you."

Nya took it without hesitation. It had taken her quite a long time, but eventually, she had come to learn that it was not a sign of weakness at all.

I know." She smiled. "And I've got you too."


	30. Four Hearts and Two Crowns (AU)

**This one shot was a Birthday present for two friends (one of them, Mina, has a little cameo in this). It was an 'Arranged Marriage' request.**

 **And at over 10,000 words, it is the longest chapter I have ever written...**

 **It may look like it has a lot of paragraph breaks, but some only mark a change in the POV.**

* * *

Four Hearts and Two Crowns (AU) / Jaya and Coliel

 _"Master Jason, Mistress Seliel." The housekeeper called out for the two children, who were chasing each other through the castle gardens. "Your parents would like you to come in and see them right now."_

 _"What is it about, Miss Edna?" The nine-year old boy asked as he came bouncing up the stairs to the castle, his pink-haired best friend running after him._

 _"They have a surprise for you, Master Jay." Edna Walker explained, trying to fix the child's tousled auburn hair. "Actually, for both of you. And I'm afraid there's no time to get you changed." She sighed, looking at the children's expensive outfits that used to be fresh and clean just half an hour ago._

 _She led the children to the Grand Hall where Jay's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Gordon, as well as their guests and Seliel's parents, the Duke and Duchess of Nom, were impatiently for waiting for them._

 _"Lord Clifford. I have brought the children, as you've requested." Mrs Walker told the Duke._

 _"Jay." Lady Libber embraced her son. "I am sorry to have interrupted your play, but we have some very important news for you two."_

 _"Sel, honey." The Duke of Nom addressed his daughter. "As you know, your mother and I have been good friends with Lord Cliff and Lady Libber for a long time –"_

 _"And Jay is_ my _good friend." She added._

 _"And Sel is mine." The boy nodded._

 _"Yes, you are." Seliel's father smiled at her. "Also, the Gordons and their people are our allies and most important trade partners of Nom. Therefore, the four of us-" He gestured towards his wife and Jay's parents. "Have agreed that the two of you will get married when you are older."_

 _"Whoohoo." The two children high-fived each other, not fully understanding the seriousness of the matter._

 _"That means that we will be living together and you don't have to go back to your home." Jay cheered. "We can play all the time."_

 _The girl nodded. "And we'll be friends forever."_

 _"I am glad that the two of you agree with our plan." Seliel's mother smiled at the children._

 _"The wedding will take place on the day of Jason's eighteenth birthday." Lady Libber informed them._

 _"You can go back to your game, if you wish. Spend as much time together as you can, for tomorrow, we must return home to Nom." Seliel's father said. "You can write each other until you meet again."_

 _"Oh, but that's still sooo long to go." Jay whined. "Why can't we get married right now so that Sel can stay here?"_

 _"Honey, you are way too young to get married." Lady Libber told her son. "A wedding is a very important step in an adult's life. And both of you still have a lot to learn until then."_

 _"I'll write you every day." Jay promised his best friend. "And I can't wait until I finally turn eighteen. I wish it was already my birthday now."_

* * *

 _I wish it wasn't already my eighteenth birthday now._ Seventeen-year old Jason Gordon thought.

The auburn haired young man sat on the bed in his room, looking out of the window and remembering the day that his and his friend's future had been decided.

There were only a few days until Jay's eighteenth birthday, and Lady Seliel of Nom and her family were due to arrive at the Gordons' castle later today.

As much as he was always looking forward to seeing his childhood friend again, Jay dreaded _this_ particular meeting, for the two of them were going to get married as part of his birthday celebrations.

And, unlike on that day almost nine years ago, Jay _really_ didn't want that to happen.

Granted, Seliel was one of his oldest and best friends but he just didn't love her in a romantic way. And from reading the many letters she had sent him over the years, he knew that the young woman felt the same way about him.

 _Use the Power of Positive Thinking._ Jay told himself. _It could be a lot worse. At least,_ I _am going to spend the rest of my life with a friend._

Their friend Harumi had not been as lucky. Just a few weeks ago, the princess of Ninjago had been betrothed to one of the country's worst (former) enemies.

After many years of raging war, peace had finally been restored between Ninjago and its neighbour, the Dark Island. And as part of the treaty, ' _to strengthen the bond between new friends'_ , the Jade Princess and the crown prince of the Dark Island were set to get married to each other.

"Hey, what's up?" A voice called from the door, snapping him out of his thoughts. Standing in the doorway was one of the castle's knights and Jay's closest friend.

Nineteen-year old Cole Brookstone was a commoner, his father Lou was the trusted advisor of Lord Clifford and the two boys had been tutored together and become close friends, despite their different backgrounds.

"Uhm, nothing." Jay mumbled.

"I thought it was the sky." Cole entered the room and sat down on the bed next to his friend. "What's the matter, Jay?" The black haired male wanted to know. "Must be something serious if you're not even up for a joke..."

"You know me well." Jay sighed.

"Is it about the wedding?" Cole suggested.

"You know me a bit _too_ well." Jay confirmed. "I-I don't know if I want to get married to Seliel."

"When we first met, you kept telling me how excited you were about it."

"I was _nine_." Jay said. "I simply had no idea what a wedding – or a marriage – is all about. I don't even know it _now_. And I don't think I am ready to be a husband."

"But Sensei Wu-" the boys' private tutor "-has made us read all these classic novels that deal with true love and marriage."

"Yeah, but that't part of the problem." Jay explained. "In the books, it is always about _true love_ , but that's not exactly the way it works for _us_. Sure, I love Sel as my friend. But I am not _in love_ with her."

"But you haven't seen her in a long time." Cole tried to comfort him. "Maybe you will fall in love with her when you two finally meet again. From what I've heard, she is not only a very beautiful young woman, but also very smart and strong. You are a very lucky guy, Jay."

"But what if I don't?"

The black haired knight shrugged. "Then that's just the way the cookie crumbles..."

"Cole, you're not being very helpful right now." Jay groaned.

"Think about it as part of your job os future Duke." Cole suggested. "Your marriage will unite the duchies of Gordon and Nom. Even the Emperor and Empress strongly approve of it. Also, at some stage you will need an heir to your title..."

"Ugh." Jay pulled a disgusted face. "I'm _definitely_ not ready for that."

Before the two friends could continue their conversation, there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Master Jason?" It was one of the young housemaids. "Mrs Walker has asked me to bring you your new outfit for the banquet tonight." She was carrying a pile of neatly folded blue items of clothing in her arms.

"Thank you, Mina." Jay smiled at the dark-haired girl. "You can leave it over there, please."

"Of course, Master Jason. Good afternoon, Master Cole."

"Hey, Mina. How are the preparations for the banquet going?"

"Very good, Sir. And yes, there will be plenty of cake." She grinned at the young man.

"Aww, man. Am I _that_ predictable?" Cole asked his friend who had burst out laughing.

"Yes, you are." The Duke's son managed to croak out before another laughing fit overtook him.

* * *

As it was a warm summer evening, a reception was held on the castle's terrace before the banquet.

The Duke of Nom and his party had arrived only very late in the afternoon, just in time to be shown to their rooms and to freshen up. Jay had therefore not seen his bride-to-be before the start of the event. Right now, he was standing between his parents and his best friend, anxiously waiting for the guests of honour to make their grand entrance (or exit, for that matter).

And finally, the Duke, his wife and daughter as well as their most trusted servants, came walking through the castle doors out in the open air.

And Jay had to admit that Cole was right. The cute little girl from years ago had grown up into a stunning young woman.

Seliel's long pink hair with a single blue streak elegantly cascaded down her back, stopping just above her slender waist. She was wearing a slim, floor-length smoke grey dress that perfectly accentuated her female curves. And the girl's grey eyes sparkled with excitement as she rushed forward to embrace her friend.

"Jay." She exclaimed. "So great to finally see you again. It's been so long..."

"Way to long." He agreed, genuinely happy to be reunited with his childhood friend.

For the rest of the reception as well as during the dinner, Jay and Seliel kept chatting to each other. As they had told each other pretty much everything in their many letters, it was _almost_ like they had never been separated.

And they were both happy avoiding the topic of their upcoming nuptials. That is until...

"May I please have your attention?" Lord Clifford announced, and the room immediately fell silent. "Lady Libber and I are delighted to welcome our dear guests, Lord Aiden and Lady Sylvia, the Duke and Duchess of Nom, and their lovely daughter. As many of you already know, Lady Seliel and our son Jason are getting married next Saturday, on the day of his eighteenth birthday and we, my wonderful wife and myself, couldn't wish for a better partner for our boy. And if I remember correctly, neither can he, for the two children were very excited when they first got engaged all these years ago. So, please raise your glasses and let us drink to the happy couple."

The groom-to-be could feel his face heat up and his chest tighten. When had the air in here become so stuffy, he-he just couldn't breath...

Jay desperately needed to get some fresh air. Right now.

"Thank you, father." He replied politely, putting down his glass. "Will you please excuse me for a moment?"

As soon as he had left the Grand Dining Hall, Jay broke out into a run, until he found himself back outside on the terrace where the servants were busy tidying up the leftovers from the reception.

Jay sat down on the low wall surrounding the venue, he gladly inhaled the fresh air and watched the sun going down over the castle gardens.

"Are you feeling alright, Master Jason?" An unfamiliar female voice asked. He turned around to find himself looking at a pretty girl, maybe a year or so younger than Jay himself, with raven black hair in a short bob cut and dressed in a maid's uniform. Concern was displayed in her dark brown eyes. "You look a bit pale, your Lordship, would you like me to bring you a glass of water?"

"N-no. I am fine." He replied. _I am fine_. _Everything is fine._ He kept repeating to himself. "But thank you, Miss ... ahem..."

"It's Nya, Sir." She told him.

"Thank you, Miss Nya." He smiled at her. "Are you new here? I can't remember having seen you around before."

And he would definitely have remembered her lovely face.

"Oh, I am actually Lady Seliel's handmaiden. But everyone here has been so busy with the banquet, so they were grateful for an extra pair of hands helping with the clean up." Nya explained. "I am very sorry to have disturbed you, Lord Jay."

"No, no, you haven't disturbed me at all." Jay quickly said. "Would you like to sit down with me?" He offered. What was he doing here talking to a servant girl, when he should be inside with his parents and his _fiancée_?

"Thank you for the kind offer, Sir. But I need to get back to my work." She apologised. Jay's eyes followed as Nya picked up a tray with empty glasses and carried it inside, until she had disappeared inside the castle.

* * *

Later that night, long after the end of the banquet, Jay just wasn't able to sleep at all. In his head, he kept both replaying the events of the evening as well as thinking about what was going to happen over the next couple of days.

The auburn haired male had stayed outside on the terrace for a bit longer before he had returned to the Grand Hall. Luckily, he hadn't been missed too much at all.

Cole, being the great friend he was, had covered for his absence and had started conversing with Seliel, while Jay was gone. After his return, the young nobleman had simply joined them, and the three of them had kept chatting until the end of the banquet.

Jay kept tossing and turning in his bed until he eventually decided that he was not going to get any more sleep tonight anyway.

He got up and slipped in some casual clothes, very different to the fancy and rather uncomfortable outfit he had worn earlier tonight, and quietly left his room.

It wasn't the first time that the Duke's son would sneak out of the caste during the night, so he well knew his way around the place in the dark.

In the moonlit courtyard, Jay took a deep breath before he made his way over to a secluded narrow building that held the blue-eyed man's more or less secret workshop. Much to his parents' dismay, the young Lord was a passionate inventor who would rather spend his days – and nights – dealing with blueprints than with politics.

As he approached the shed, Jay could hear noises coming from the inside of the building.

"Oh, of course you can use all of these for your project, my dear." Jay recognised the voice as Edward Walker, the groundkeeper and also the person who had taught Jay about engineering and inventing in the first place. "I am sure Master Jason won't mind, he is a very wonderfully kind young man."

"Yes, he was very friendly." The second person sounded like the girl he had met earlier – Mia, wasn't it?

"Oh, so you have had the pleasure of meeting him?"

"We've just exchanged a few words on the terrace."

"Ah, that makes you his friend and you can use anything in here that you need." Ed stated.

"Of course, you can." Jay confirmed as he opened the door to the workshop and entered the small room. Tools and blueprints were scattered all over the place. "My apologies for the mess."

"Master Jay." – "L-lord Jason." Ed and Nya exclaimed in surprise.

"Please, call me Jay." He replied. "No need for formalities in here, Miss... uhm... Mia?"

"It's _Nya_ , Mast-... uhm, Jay."

"My apologies, Nya. It was a rather... eventful evening." He looked at the shimmering item in the girl's hand. "What's that?" He curiously enquired. "I've heard you talking about some kind of project..."

"It's a dagger." She handed him the short weapon. "My brother and his wife are expecting their first child, and I've made this as a present for my future niece or nephew. But I didn't get to finish it before we left Nom, so Mr Walker has kindly offered me to use some of the tools here to polish and sharpen it."

"You've made this?" Jay asked incredulously, inspecting the dagger. "It is amazing."

"Thank you. My parents were blacksmiths." Nya explained with a light blush on her cheeks. "They have taught both Kai and I since we were little children. But unfortunately, a female blacksmith is not accepted by our society, so I took up a position as maid at the Duke's castle."

"I am sorry to hear that." Jay apologised. "And I can understand you very well, it's just the same for a Lord who just wants to be an inventor..." He added in a quiet voice.

"What kind of stuff do you invent?" The girl wanted to know.

"Oh, this and that. For example, I once made a pair of wings to fly down from the highest tower of the castle. My mother almost had a heart attack when I came gliding past the window to her room..."

"As did my dear Edna." Ed chimed in. "We were all relieved that _this_ invention actually worked."

"Yeah, not all of them were successful." Jay sheepishly rubbed his neck, his freckled cheeks burning in embarrassment. "Like this one." He pointed at a metallic figure in the corner. "I've been trying to make a robot, but I just can't seem to get the mechanic limbs to work properly. They always fall off." His face lit up. "You seem to be very good with metals, maybe you could give me some advice?"

"Sure." Nya smiled. "I'd love to."

* * *

Unbeknownst to them, Jay and Nya were not the only ones who couldn't sleep this night.

Finally having met his best friend's bride-to-be, Cole wasn't able to understand Jay's reluctance to get married to the pink-haired woman.

Lady Seliel was the most beautiful person the knight had ever seen. And not only that, having spent the evening in her company had just been an overall delightful experience.

Cole certainly wouldn't mind sharing _his_ life with this kind, funny and very intelligent woman.

Alas, she was not the one for him but for his friend. A friend who didn't even see how lucky he was.

The black-haired male looked out of his window, seeing the full moon lighting up the castle grounds. There was no way he was going to get back to sleep, so he might as well spend the time doing something productive. And for a knight, this usually meant getting some training.

With a sigh, Cole got up from his bed, put on his uniform in the blue colours of the Gordon family, and left his chambers. As he was just about to turn into the castle's training court, he saw a dark figure running over the courtyard.

"Stop." He called. "Who is there?"

The person stopped and turned around. Cole saw that it was another knight in full armour, he couldn't even get a glimpse of the face underneath the helmet.

"Put down your weapons and show your face." Cole demanded.

The other knight, however, did not as he was told. He drew his sword, but instead of placing it on the ground, he got into a fighting stance.

"If you want to find out who I am, you'll have to earn it." He shouted in a croaked voice.

"And if you want trouble, you can have trouble." Cole muttered, drawing his sword as well, and he charged at the other knight.

* * *

Returning to her chambers after the banquet, Seliel had taken off her formal dress and put on her nightgown, before she sat down at the oak desk. With a sigh, she looked at her reflection in the mirror and started brushing her long pink hair.

The young noblewoman had been excited to finally meet up again with her childhood friend today, but she was _not_ looking to the events of the upcoming days.

While he was one of her oldest and closest friends, a _friend_ was all Lord Jason was to her. And sure, the chatty young man was funny and very cute, but that's just not the kind of person Lady Seliel of Nom wanted to spend the rest of her life and have a family with.

She preferred a more quiet and serious man. And maybe someone tall, dark, handsome... in fact, the kind of man that Jay's _best friend_ was.

When her fiancé had left the banquet earlier this evening, Sir Cole had immediately taken his place next to her, making sure that Seliel wouldn't feel left alone.

But while it may have started as a knight's 'duty', it had turned out to be one of the most pleasant conversations Lady Seliel had ever had. Even after Jay had returned, Cole had stayed at the table with her – with _them_ , of course – and the three of them had enjoyed a wonderful evening together.

And not to forget, the guy was absolutely gorgeous with his muscular build, the olive-toned skin (unlike Seliel herself who always felt like she was far too pale), and especially the deep emerald-green orbs under his jet black shaggy hair. Even the thick, bushy dark eyebrows fitted perfectly into his handsome face, making him even more attractive to her.

Letting out another loud sigh, Seliel got up and turned to her bed. It had been a long, eventful day, so she'd better get some rest now.

On the other hand...

Once she was a married woman, she would probably not have much opportunity to pursue her hobby.

Seliel opened the chest under her bed and took out the silver grey armour. Back at home, she had adopted the identity of the mysterious Phantom Ninja, a vigilante protecting the streets of Nom from the scum and lowlife.

Of course, she had to keep this a secret from her family, only her maid Nya as well as Master Dareth, Seliel's tutor, were aware of it.

She put on the armour and placed the helmet on her head after tying her long pink hair in a rather messy bun - but who was going to see her like this anyway?

She removed the sword and a couple of smoke grenades from the chest before she climbed out the window and down the water pipe into the courtyard. Looking for a way out of the castle, she suddenly heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Stop." Someone shouted. "Who is there?"

When Seliel slowly turned around, she found her suspicious confirmed for it was Sir Cole who had discovered the Phantom Ninja.

She muttered a few very unladylike words into her helmet, praying that he couldn't hear them.

"Put down your weapons and show your face." Cole demanded.

No, that was not an option. Nobody here could find out who she was.

Seliel put on hand onto the hilt of her sword. She slowly drew the weapon, but instead of placing it on the ground, she adopted a fighting stance.

"If you want to find out who I am, you'll have to earn it." She stated, trying to disguise her female voice. She didn't know about the other's fighting skills, but hopefully she would be able to make an escape during the fight.

"And if you want trouble, you can have trouble." Cole replied and, his own sword drawn, run towards her.

* * *

Cole had to admit, the mysterious knight was an excellent fighter.

His skills with the sword matched his own, and while he was not as strong as Cole himself, he made up for that with his speed. And his moves looked almost... elegant.

It had been an evenly matched battle so far, but Cole could feel that the other fighter was starting to tire. This was his chance...

But just as he was about to attack again, the other one launched some smoke grenades. Cole was not expecting this rather unfair move from his opponent, much less from another knight, so he was completely taken by surprise.

Cole dropped his sword and fell down on his knees, coughing and rubbing his burning eyes, so he didn't even realise at first that the grey knight ran away.

* * *

The Phantom Ninja ran towards the castle, feeling horrible for having used unfair measures to get out of this fight against Cole.

But she had started to get tired and just couldn't risk getting discovered. No matter how much she had enjoyed this particular fight...

Having now seen and experienced Cole's sword fighting skills, Seliel was not surprised at all that Lord Clifford had already made him a knight. Granted, he was not as fast as her, but Seliel had hardly ever met such physical strength in combination with agility and amazing technique.

She just wished he could hold her in his muscular arms rather than fight her with them.

Seleil shook her head. _What's wrong with me?_ She wondered.

The pink-haired lady started to climb up the old water pipe again. She was, however, still mildly distracted by thoughts of her opponent, that she didn't notice that the pipe had come loose during her down climb.

Seliel could not suppress a scream as she fell back down and took a rough landing on the hard ground.

* * *

Cole was slowly recovering from the other's very unknightly attack, when he heard a high-pitched scream coming from the castle.

Worried that the other knight might have climbed inside the building through an open window and attacked one of the female residents, he jumped up and started running towards the source of the cry.

But when he got closer to the building, he saw his opponent lying flat on his back on the ground.

Cole placed his foot on the other's armoured chest, preventing him from getting up.

"What are you doing here at the castle?" He asked sharply. "And who are you?"

"I can't tell you." The grey knight said in a muffled voice.

Cole removed his foot and crouched down next to his opponent. "If you don't tell me, I'll have to find out myself." He put his hands on both sides of the helmet.

"Please, no."

Cole ignored the other one's pleads. As he slowly pulled up the helmet, the first thing he noticed were the strains of pink hair falling out of it.

"Lady Seliel?" He gasped, finally having revealed the most beautiful face in all of Ninjago from behind the mask.

* * *

"Lady Seliel?" The disappointed look on Cole's face was by far more painful than her sore back.

"I am sorry." She whispered. "Please, don't tell my parents."

"I won't." He promised. "But what were you doing out here?"

"Have you ever heard of the Phantom Ninja?" She asked back.

"The mysterious vigilante? The protector of Nom?" He asked. "Do you know him?"

"Yes." She nodded. "I-I _am_ the Phantom Ninja."

"You are the Phantom Ninja?" Cole looked at her slack-jawed. "Well, I actually shouldn't be surprised, having experienced your fighting skills." He remarked.

He gently took hold of her arm, pulling her up into a seating position. "Are you alright?" He asked worriedly.

"I-I think so." She replied, removing her chest plate

"Here, let me help you, Milady." Cole put his arm around her waist and helping her stand up.

"Thank you." She looked to her window and sighed. "I am not sure how I'll get up there again."

"Don't worry, I know all the castle's secret passages." He smiled at her. "I will help you keep your secret, Lady Phantom Ninja."

"I appreciate that, Sir Cole."

One arm firmly wrapped around her waist and carrying her armour in the other hand, Cole led the girl to a side entrance and up the back stairs.

"Thank you, Sir Cole." She repeated, having reached the door to her room. "

"No need to thank me, Lady Seliel." He handed her the chest plate. "By the way, I have enjoyed our fight – apart from the bit with the smoke grenades, that is."

Seliel blushed. "My apologies for that, Sir Cole. I was worried I wouldn't get away otherwise."

 _Not that I would ever want to get away from you._ She added in her thoughts.

"I understand that you were only trying to protect your identity." He smiled at her. "Good night, Lady Seliel."

He placed a formal kiss on her hand before he started to walk away.

"Cole, wait." Seliel called after him.

"Yes, Milady?" He stopped and turned around.

She took a step forward.

"Please, call me Seliel." She requested, gently running her hand through his silky hair.

"Seliel." He whispered, cupping her face with his surprisingly soft hands and running his thumb over her blushing cheek. "Such a lovely name for a lovely woman."

"My gallant knight." Seliel smiled, closing her eyes as she leaned in.

"My beautiful Phantom Ninja." Cole muttered, before he closed the gap between their lips.

* * *

Over the next couple of days – or rather nights – Jay and Nya kept meeting at the little workshop to work on their robot and dagger, respectively.

Thanks to the female blacksmith's advice, Jay had finally gotten the droid to move his mechanical arms _without_ them falling off. And they were even making good progress now with the closing and opening of the hands.

To thank her for the great help, Jay had given some valuable gemstones to his new friend, to decorate the dagger with them. Also, he had persuaded the Duke's own blacksmith to let her sharpen the weapon at his forge. Needless to say, Master Karloff had been very impressed with the girl's skills.

Jay, on the other hand, was not impressed only by her abilities, but the young Lord was rather enthralled by _everything_ about her.

When he had first met her, Jay had thought that Nya was rather pretty, even in her plain servant's attire.

But having spent more time in her company, he had found her to be the most beautiful being he had ever met, even more beautiful than his bride.

Her raven black hair was shimmering in the dim light of the workshop, and the chocolate brown eyes showed determination and strength. But there were also some worries displayed on her lovely face, and Jay was wondering how to make them go away.

And finally, there were Nya's ruby red lips that he was magically drawn to. The Duke's son wanted nothing more than to kiss them. But of course, that would be highly inappropriate, considering their position, so he had to settle for the second best.

Lord Jason was famous for being a cheerful and funny person. And during their work, he would always make little comments to make her smile.

And the way she laughed made his heart flutter even more.

During the time they had been spending together, the two of them had told each other about their very different lives. While Jay was an only child, Nya had one older brother. And she was orphaned for their parents had passed away a few years ago.

For a while, the young siblings had run the blacksmith workshop together, but they had soon found out that no one would (knowingly) buy any weapon made by a woman, and many customers would not even accept her professional advice in the shop.

Nya had therefore taken up a position at the palace and had recently been promoted to Lady Seliel's handmaiden.

But whereas Jay's new wife was going to stay with him after the wedding, Nya was going to return back to Nom with the Duke and Duchess, to be closer to her brother and his family.

"How is the dagger coming along?" Jay asked.

Nya looked up. "It's almost finished." She smiled. "Just like our stay here..." She added in a quiet voice.

"I will miss our little meetings." Jay told her.

"Me too." Nya agreed. "But I am looking forward to going home the day after tomorrow, my sister-in-law is due to give birth any day now."

"I'm afraid this is the last night we will work here together, I won't be able to come tomorrow." He apologised.

"Turning eighteen _and_ getting married is a good excuse." Nya giggled. But Jay could see some sadness in her eyes. "But at least, I will get to see you at the party, they have asked every person available to help out, even some of the villagers. Oh, it will be a grand celebration."

"I guess so." He sighed.

"What's the matter?" Nya placed her small yet strong hand on his arm.

"Sure, I usually like birthdays, but I really don't want to get married tomorrow." He said. "Seliel is a wonderful person and a great friend, but I am not in love with her. Why do I marry someone my parents chose for me instead of someone I want? Argh, why does life have to be so complicated?"

"I understand what you mean." Jay could see some tears glistening in Nya's brown eyes. "I may not have to marry for political reasons, but I still have a very similar problem"

"Please, tell me." Jay sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around the girl. "Maybe I can help."

"I don't think so, but thank you." Nya smiled weakly. "In the village where I come from, there is this man, Master Nadakhan. He's quite old already, used to be a merchant. After making his fortune overseas - although it is rumoured that not all of it was acquired legally - he retired and settled down in Ignacia where he opened up a shop. Apparently, I look very similar to his first love who passed away at very young age, so now he has his mind set on marrying me.

I have rejected him, of course, but he's threatened to ruin our business. He has a lot of influence in the area, so if he starts spreading rumours about the low quality of my brother's work, nobody will buy from us any more, even if they're _not_ true. He is expecting my final answer when we return to Nom. I-I don't know what I'm gonna do."

Jay pulled her into a hug, letting Nya cry I to his chest while he buried his face in her hair, inhaling the inciting scent of coconut.

What in the name of the First Spinjitzu Master was happening with him?

"I am sorry, Milord." She sniffed. "I should not burden you with my problems, when this should be a day to celebrate."

"Please, don't worry, I don't really feel like celebrating anyway."

"I guess neither of us has a chance of being with the person we love."

 _Love_... so that was what it was. But... a future Duke couldn't love a servant girl, right? Especially not when he was going to marry someone else.

Sure, he knew that is was not unusual for noblemen to have concubines but that was not an arrangement Jay would want to have.

And Nya would never abandon her brother and his family, especially not in their current situation.

As Jay loosened his grip, Nya pulled away.

"Thank you." She said. "We should probably get back to the castle now and get some sleep."

"Yes, tomorrow will be a long day for both of us."

"Actually, it's today." Nya corrected him. "It's already past midnight." She smiled. "Happy Birthday, Jay." She handed him the finished dagger. The sheath had been beautifully decorated with a pattern of rubies and sapphires – Nya had told him that her brother's favourite colour was red whereas her own was blue.

"It's marvellous. But I really can't take this." Jay replied. "It's for your brother's new baby."

"But... it's your birthday. I don't have anything else to give to you. I want you to have something to remember me by."

"Nya, I will never forget you." His blue eyes locked with her brown ones. "But you don't have to give me anything. There is only one thing I want from you."

Nya swallowed. "And what would that be?"

Instead of replying, Jay cupped his face with her hands and pressed his lips onto hers. Nya wrapped her arms around his neck and eagerly kissed him back.

Jay knew that what they were doing was wrong. But he didn't care.

He _loved_ Nya, and he was going to enjoy this probably final moment that they had together.

Well, the _moment_ turned into a rather long time, for neither of them wanted it to end.

Alas, it did end in the worst way possible, as neither of them had paid attention to have heard the door to the workshop opening and closing.

"Ahem." When someone behind him loudly cleared their throat, Jay's eyes snapped open and he was abruptly brought back to reality.

* * *

Somehow, Cole and Seliel had managed to secretly meet in the castle gardens every night for the past week. They would usually take a stroll through the park, talking about everything and nothing and just enjoying each other's company.

Tonight, however, was different. They both knew too well that this was going to be their final date. Although Cole knew that Jay was not in love with Seliel, the knight was not going to pursue an affair with his best friend's _wife_.

They two lovebirds were sitting on a secluded bench, crying in each other's arms.

"What are we going to do?" Seliel asked. "I can't imagine seeing you every day and not being with you."

"I feel the same." The knight replied. "But you will be my friend's wife. He's a truly great guy who deserves to be happy. I will not interfere with that."

"But I love _you_ , Cole." Seliel stated. "And as his best friend, you must be aware that Jay doesn't love me either."

"You know that?" Cole's eyes widened in surprise.

"He's one of my oldest friends. We've told each other all our secrets." Well, _almost_ all of them, Jay didn't know about her and Cole. "He's even told me that Miss Edna has caught him kissing his pillow a few years ago."

"Oh, I remember that." Cole chuckled. "After hearing that story, I snuck into his room to draw a face on his pillow."

But then his own handsome face darkened again. "But what are we going to do?"

"We need to tell him the truth about us." Seliel stated firmly. "We owe it to him."

Their hands entwined, the couple walked across the courtyard.

Cole pointed at a narrow building. "By the way, that's Jay's workshop."

"The light's still on in there." Seliel noticed. "Maybe he couldn't sleep either. Let's have a look."

They carefully peeked through the window into the small, dimly lit room.

And indeed, they found Jay to be still awake. The auburn-haired man had his back turned to them, he appeared to be talking to another person before they suddenly fell into each other's arms in a passionate kiss.

"Looks like he hasn't told us _all_ his secrets either..." Cole mumbled.

"And I feel like he would mind cancelling the wedding..." Seliel smirked.

They quietly opened the door and stepped inside, unnoticed by the other couple.

"Ahem." Cole cleared his throat, causing the couple to break apart. Jay spun around, a deep blush on his freckled cheeks, shielding the other – smaller – person from their view with his body. His mouth agape, he stared at the two newcomers like a deer in the headlight.

"C-Cole?" He eventually spluttered. "S-Seliel? I-It's not what it looks like..."

She grinned. "Oh, really?"

"Sel, I-I..."

"I am sorry, Lady Seliel. It was all _my_ fault." The girl behind him said apologetically as she stepped forward and into their view.

"Nya?" Seliel gasped.

"N-no." Jay exclaimed. "D-don't blame her."

He took Nya's hand into his and squeezed it lightly. "I've kissed you first."

"But I..."

"Ah, you don't have to explain anything." Seliel interrupted them. "Jay, we've talked about this more times than I can count. I know you don't love me. And I want this wedding no more than you do – which is the reason why I came here in the first place. Because, I am in love with someone else."

Jay's gaze shifted to the couple's entwined hands.

"You and Cole?"

"I am sorry, Jay." The knight apologised. "I didn't mean to fall in love with your bride or to keep a secret from you, but I..."

"It's okay, Cole." Jay placed a hand on the knight's broad shoulder. "Seliel deserves to be loved and cherished, which is something that I cannot give her." He looked at his pink-haired friend. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Knowing that we both love other people, we just can't go through with this wedding." Seliel stated firmly. "We would make each other miserable. And hurt the people we truly love."

"I agree, although I hate to disappoint my parents."

"Me as well." Seliel agreed. "But it's not about _them_. _Our_ wedding is for the rest of _our_ lives. And I want to spend the rest of my life with the man I love."

Jay grinned widely. "You mean Cole?"

"I do." Seliel nodded. "And he loves me too."

"And I love Nya." Jay flashed a smile at the black-haired girl. "I love you."

"I love you too." She smiled back.

"Then it's settled." Jay stated. "First thing tomorrow, we're gonna talk to our parents."

"Well, it's actually _today_ already." Seliel remarked. "Happy Birthday, Jay." She hugged her friend.

"Yeah, happy birthday, bro." Cole joined it.

"Thanks." Jay replied. _Looks like t's gonna be our parents to get an interesting birthday surprise..._

* * *

"Good morning, Master Jay." The maid greeted the young Lord as he came jumping down the stairs. "And happy Birthday, Sir."

"Thank you, Mina." He smiled. "And good morning to you too."

"The Duke and Duchess are already waiting for you, Master Jay. It will be a very special day for your Lordship." The girl remarked. "May I say that you look very excited about it."

"I am. And believe me, it will be a very eventful day." Jay confirmed. _Just not in the way everyone else might expect it._

Seliel was already waiting for him in front of the doors to the dining room.

"Good morning, Jay." She greeted him. "Are you ready to face our parents?"

"No." Jay shook his head, taking Seliel's hand into his own. "But we're gonna do it anyway."

After taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and the two young adults entered the dining hall, where their parents were already sitting at the long table, having breakfast.

All personnel were lined up on the side of the room, in honour of Lord Jason's eighteenth birthday.

"Aww, there's my big boy." Lady Libber jumped up from her seat to wrap her son in a loving embrace. "Happy Birthday, honey." She kissed his cheek before she turned to the pink-haired woman by his side. "And good morning, my future daughter-in-law."

"Thanks, mum." Jay blushed. "Uhm, about that daughter-in-law thing...we-we..."

"We're _not_ getting married." Seliel blurted out.

"What?" Four Dukes and Duchesses exclaimed simultaneously.

Jay's mother giggled. "Great joke, my dear Seliel. You've always had a great sense of humour. Another proof that you and my son are just perfect for each other."

"No, mum." Jay said in a firm voice. "We _may_ be a perfect match for each other, and we are great friends. But Seliel and I are _not_ getting married. At least not to _each other_..."

"What is that supposed to mean?" The Duke of Nom's voice resonated throughout the grand room. "Is my daughter not good enough for you?"

"Dad. Jay and I have made this decision _together_." Seliel tried to calm down her father. "We are not in love with each other. And we are afraid that, by getting married, we would only make each other unhappy. And the people we do love."

"I cannot believe it." Lady Sylvia slumped down in her seat. "We've arranged this marriage years ago, thinking it would be the best for our children and for Ninjago. And now, our children have just decided that _they_ know better than us."

"Mum." Seliel pleaded. "This is about us. And don't worry, even if we don't get married – which we _won't_ – Jay and I will still be friends and do anything to maintain the strong bond between Nom and Gordon. Also, I am not generally objecting to a relationship with someone from here."

The Duke's featured softened. "Sweetheart, are you trying to tell us that you are in love with another person?"

"I am." She confirmed, holding his gaze. "And while he may not be a Prince or Lord, he is a wonderful man – in fact, a _noble_ man."

She stepped towards Cole, taking his hand and pulling him with her. " _This_ is the man I love."

"Cole?" Lord Clifford asked incredulously. "I would have never expected you to betray us like this. You were always Jay's loyal friend."

"And he is." Jay told his father. "Cole is my _best_ friend and I couldn't think of _anyone_ who'd be a better husband for Seliel."

"Thank you, man." Cole smiled at him.

"We will talk about _you_ later." Lord Aiden said. "Right now, we will have to decide what to do about today's wedding."

"I want my boy to be happy." Lady Libber stated. "If he and Seliel both are entirely sure that they want to cancel, then I am with them."

"But darling..." Her husband started.

"No, my dear." The blonde Duchess shook her head. "I was lucky enough to marry the person I loved – and still do – with all my heart, I want our son to experience the same."

"How could I argue with that?" He gave his wife a loving smile.

"I agree." Lady Sylvia nodded.

"Alright." Lord Aiden sighed in defeat. "If this is what you want..."

"I do." Seliel flung herself around her father's neck. "Thank you, dad."

"Well, I guess we have a wedding to cancel then..." Her father said.

Seliel smiled. "But don't throw away the cake, because we still have a birthday to celebrate."

* * *

At night, the reception celebrating Lord Jason's eighteenth birthday – and _not_ his wedding to Lady Seliel – was in full swing.

Nya, who was serving drinks to the guests, watched as Lady Seliel happily danced with Sir Cole. The Duke and Duchess didn't appear to mind, so the raven hared beauty hoped that her mistress's parents would approve of their daughter's choice rather sooner than later.

"Good evening, Nya." Jay smiled at her. "You look lovely."

The maid was wearing a short blue dress. For this special occasion, all the staff had been given simple yet rather nice outfits they were allowed to keep afterwards.

"Thank you, Jay. It's my favourite colour." She smiled back. "You look very handsome yourself."

The auburn haired male took the tray out her hands and put it on a nearby table. "May I have this dance, Miss Nya?"

"I am sorry, I am not supposed to join the party." She shook her head.

"What about a little walk outside then?" He suggested. "I am sure nobody will notice your absence."

Their hands entwined, the couple took a walk through the park.

"I am really glad I've got to meet you." Nya said in a quiet voice. "I will miss you when I'm back home."

"Nya, why don't you..."

"As much as I want to, I cannot stay here with you." She interrupted him. "It just would be too complicated, considering your status – and mine..."

"I understand." Jay pulled her in a comforting hug. "I will miss you, Nya."

* * *

"Jay, we were looking for you." His father chided him when they finally returned to the Grand Hall. "It is time for your birthday cake."

The kitchen staff had been busy all day to redecorate the wedding cake as a birthday one.

"I am sorry, father." He apologised. "I have forgotten to look at the time."

In the background, Jay could see Cole impatiently tapping his foot, already equipped with a plate and two cake forks.

"Where were you?" Lord Clifford wanted to know.

"I've shown Nya around the park; she loves cherry blossoms so I wanted her to see our Sakura Trees."

He left out the fact that they had spent most of the time kissing under the biggest and oldest of the trees on the Gordon Estate.

His father raised an eyebrow. "Why would you spend your time with a maid from Nom?" He looked at Nya, who was blushing slightly. "And distract her from her _work_."

Jay looked straight into his father's eyes. "Because I _love_ her."

He went down on one knee in front of her, taking her hand. "Nya Smith, I don't care how complicated it is. But I have an idea on how to change your status. Will you marry me?"

The room fell silent, only a few gasps could be heard, when the guests saw the son of the Duke kneel in front of a humble servant girl.

Nya pressed a hand over her mouth, her eyes welling with tears.

"Jay, I-I ..."

"Absolutely not." Lord Clifford objected loudly. "I was alright with cancelling your wedding to Seliel, but you will _not_ marry a servant girl."

"But dad..."

"Had I known about this, I would not have let your mother persuade me to cancel at all. Seliel was at least reasonable enough to choose a knight. But I will never agree to this-this farce."

"Nya is _not_ a farce, father. And you would see that, if you were just willing to get to know her."

"Luckily, I don't have to know her as she will leave us tomorrow. And I do not wish to see her ever again. And you won't see her again either."

"But..."

"Jason. This is your birthday party, and it would be very rude to let your _guests_ wait any longer for their cake."

"I don't care about the cake." Jay muttered as he stormed out. He ran up to his room, slamming the door behind himself, and threw himself onto his bed.

He knew that what he had done had been very unreasonable and definitely not the appropriate behaviour for a future Duke, but he didn't care what his father had said in this matter.

He _was_ going to see her again.

* * *

 _Two weeks later_

"Jay." Seliel rushed down the stairs of the castle of Nom to greet her friend, followed by her new fiancé.

The Duke and Duchess of Gordon as well as their son Lord Jason had just arrived at the Castle of Nom for the union of Lady Seliel and Sir Cole.

Tonight, the celebrations were to kick off with an 'intimate' reception (for royal standards) followed by the actual wedding tomorrow.

Jay embraced the pink-haired woman before he man-hugged his best friend.

"So, you're ready to be a Lord?" Jay nudged the knight.

"No, but I am ready to marry the love of my life." He smiled.

"You're gonna be a great Lord, probably better than I will." Jay encouraged him. "And we've always been brothers by heart, now we're finally going to wear the same title. I just hope you'll remember where your loyalties lie when we'll be the ones to negotiate trade agreements in the future."

"Oh, I'll make sure he knows that." Seliel smirked. "It's good to see you're making jokes again. How are you doing?" She asked. "And how are things with your father?"

After the incident at his birthday party, Jay had locked himself in his room, refusing to come out even to say goodbye to Seliel and her family. The only person who had been allowed in had been Cole, but the black haired knight had left for Nom a few days ago with his father, to help prepare his own wedding.

"We're still not talking much to each other." Jay admitted. "I know it's childish, but I am still mad about the way he's insulted her."

"I am sorry things didn't work out for you." Cole gave him a pat on his shoulder. "Having met Seliel, I now understand now why you didn't want to go through with the arranged marriage. Your wedding is something you should be looking forward to." He turned to his wife-to-be. "I can't wait to be your husband."

"I can't wait either." Seliel gave him a loving smile. "I just wish our friend could be as happy as we are."

"Is Nya here?" Jay enquired. "I have something for her."

Seliel shook her head. "When we got back here, she quit her job and moved back home."

"I'm going to see her." Jay claimed, mounting his horse Wisp. "Ignacia is that way?"

"Just follow the road, it will lead you directly to the blacksmith shop." Seliel explained. "Good luck."

Although it didn't take long for Jay to ride down to Ignacia, it was already late in the afternoon when he arrived, so the _Four Weapons_ , just like every other business in the village, was closed for the night.

Through the window, Jay could see a little light in the room so he knocked on the door.

"Nya?" He asked. "I-It's me."

"Jay?" Came her surprised answer.

* * *

Inside the dimly lit room, Nya was sitting at the table, sketching out the design for a new pair of sais. Once in a while, she would raise her head to watch the scarlet haired young woman in the cosy armchair by the fireplace, cradling her newborn son in her arms.

Nya smiled at the pure bliss the couple irradiated, she was delighted for her brother and sister-in-law – and, if she was completely honest, slightly jealous of them.

The raven-haired girl wished to experience the same happiness herself, but she knew that it wouldn't happen for her.

Why did she have to fall in love with someone so way out of her league?

Even though Jay's wedding to Seliel had been called off, his father had made it perfectly clear that he would not accept someone like _her_ as his son's wife.

But it didn't matter anyway.

After her return to Ignacia, she had given Nadakhan his reply. But in the past two weeks, he had made it very clear that he was not going to accept her 'no' for a final answer. He kept sending her presents – flowers, perfume (although she had told him several times that she was allergic to it) and so on – while at the same time repeating his threat to ruin the blacksmiths' business. He had gone as far as ordering some cheap (and in Nya's expert opinion of very poor quality) tools and weapons from a manufacturing site in Jamanakai Village to sell them at his own shop.

Nya took another glimpse at her sister-in-law and infant nephew, and it was there and then that she decided to accept the merchant's proposal. She couldn't let her family suffer for her stubbornness.

A knock on the door snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Nya?" She immediately recognised his voice. "I-Its me."

"Jay?" Nya rushed to the door and opened it.

When she saw the young Lord standing outside, she jumped into his arm and kissed him.

"I've missed you." She said, when they broke apart, resting her head on his shoulders.

"I've missed you to." He gently put her down.

"But what are you doing here?" She asked. "Your father said that..."

"I don't care what my father says." He frowned. "I wanted to see you. And I have a present for your new niece or nephew."

"It's a boy, his name is Matthew." Nya explained. "This is Skylor, my brother's wife. Sky, this is Jay, I mean Lord Jason of Gordon." She introduced the newcomer to the red haired woman.

"It's an honour to meet you, Lord Jason." Skylor got up from her seat, carefully holding her son, to kneel before the nobleman.

"Please, stay seated, there is no need for formalities." Jay smiled at the new mother. "I am just here as a friend who has brought a present for your son." He handed her a little red teddy bear. "Our housekeeper has made it for him. And I had a few gold coins sewn into the bear's tummy, for emergencies."

"It's lovely." Skylor smiled at him. "Thank you for your generosity, Lord Jason."

"No need to thank me. It was the least I can do after receiving the gift that was supposed to be for him." He pointed at the dagger he had strapped onto his leg. "Now, will you excuse me please?"

He turned back to Nya who had watched the scene with a sad smile on her lovely face.

"I do love you." He said, taking her hands into his.

"I love you too." She replied. "But we can't do this. Your father will _never_ approve of me. And I need to support my family." She had tell him _how_ she was going to do it, even if it would break his heart.

"Seliel is marrying Cole tomorrow." He stated.

"Yes, but he is still a knight." She retorted. "I am just a housemaid, and I..."

"I'll find a way, I promise." He ran his hand through her black hair. "I am so glad you didn't marry that Nadakhan guy." He stated, relived.

Nya felt tears pooling in her eyes. "Not _yet_." She said. "But if I don't, he will do anything to ruin us. I am going to accept his proposal to save the shop." She smiled at Skylor and the baby. "I need to do it for my family, they don't deserve to suffer because of me."

"Nya, you don't have to do anything you don't want to." Jay said softly, wiping her tears awy with his thumbs. "I can help you. _All_ four of you."

"But how?" Nya wondered.

Jay's eyes fell on the drawing on the table. "I may have an idea." He said. "Where is your brother?"

"He's still working." Nya pointed to the narrow door leading to the workshop.

"C'mon." Jay took her hand and pulled her with him.

* * *

The reception was already in full swing when the Duke of Gordon's son returned to the castle of Nom. And he was not alone. A pretty young girl was riding with him on his horse, and a young man with brown spiky hair followed on his own animal.

In the courtyard, Jay jumped off the horse and helped Nya get down. The two animals were left in the care of the servants, while the three of them entered the castle and the Grand Hall.

"Mother, father" He called. "We need to talk."

"Jason, where were you? You always used to be so punctual." Lord Clifford chided him. The Duke then noticed the other two. "Not this girl again." He groaned. "I told you I don't want you to interact with her. And I definitely don't want to see her here with you."

"Please, father. Hear me out." Jay pleaded. "I apologise for my behaviour, but I need you to have a look at these."

He handed him the katana that Kai had brought from the workshop as well as the dagger Nya had given to him for his birthday.

"Do you remember Master Karloff saying that he is looking for an assistant and possibly a successor when he retires. I may have found him one."

"Excellent craftsmanship." Lord Clifford examined the weapons. He looked at Kai. "You've made these, young man?"

"I have forged the sword, but my sister has made the dagger." Kai replied.

The Duke's eyes widened in surprised. "I am impressed, young lady." He smiled at her. "It seems that there is indeed more to you than meets the eye."

"Thank you, Milord." She blushed.

"I assume Master Karloff wouldn't mind having two assistants. When can you start?"

"You mean..." Nya looked at him wide-eyed.

"It would be a shame to let your talent go to waste. So, when can you start?" He repeated.

Cheering, the siblings happily embraced each other. "Whenever it suits _you_ , Lord Clifford."

* * *

Later that evening, Nya was standing on the balcony, looking over the gardens. After the formalities had been dealt with, Seliel had invited the siblings to join the celebration. And this time, the Duke of Gordon hadn't objected – not that it would have mattered at this place anyway.

But, of course, Kai had wanted to get home to his wife and son and tell them the good news, so Nya had stayed at the castle on her own. The Duchess had invited the girl to sleep with the other maids in her old quarters, and Lady Seliel had given her an old dress of her own.

The young blacksmith still couldn't believe her luck. While he would not accept her as a suitable wife for his son, Lord Gordon had at least acknowledged her skills - and his generous offer had at least saved her from marrying Nadakhan.

Nya turned around when she heard some footsteps on the marble floor approach her.

"Hey." She smiled at the newcomer.

"Hey." Jay wrapped his arms around her. "Feeling better?"

Nya leaned against him. "I am great, thank you. For everything you did for us."

"I just did what was right. You and your brother have earned this chance." He told her. "Of course, I am looking forward to seeing you around at the castle."

"Me too." She agreed. "And I can still be with my family at the same time."

"And I hope my father will get to see how amazing you are."

Not wanting to cause a scene at his friends' wedding, he placed a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"It's nice to be a guest rather than a servant..." Nya mentioned.

"You'll better get used to it." He stated. "But as you are not working tonight, may I have _this_ dance, Miss Nya?"

She took his arm. "You may."

From their seats, the Duke and Duchess of Gordon were watching their son dance with the love of his life.

"Don't they make a very beautiful couple?" Lady Libber remarked.

"I admit, they are." Her husband nodded. "He's not gonna give up until I agree, is he?"

"No, darling." His wife shook her head. "He's just like his father. If he wants something bad enough, he'll do anything to make it happen. And he's _never_ wanted anything more than being with her."

"I admit, she does seem to be a lovely young woman... well mannered, smart, and very skilled."

"And don't forget madly in love with our son, which means she has great taste." His wife laughed. "And I know that you are not as much against her for our son anymore as you pretend to be."

"I've hired her _only_ because of her skills." Her husband insisted.

"But once she works for us, we _will_ have to get to know her better, although you've said you don't want to. And you can't keep Jason away from her."

"You know me so well, my dear." The Duke sighed. "Sooner or later, I _will_ need to talk to the Emperor and Empress, if they can accept a blacksmith and former handmaiden as the future Duchess of Gordon."

"I know they will, my love." Lady Libber beamed at her husband. "And you should look at the bright side of it." She laughed. "We will have the most adorable grandchildren in all of Ninjago."


	31. Without You

**I initially wrote parts of this conversation for the reunion scene in TOTGA, but then I realised that it didn't really fit in the more cheerful atmosphere there... so I removed it from the final version and made it into a separate story set in the canon universe** 😉 **.**  
 **So it now takes place after season 9 (which btw I _still_ haven't seen entirely ** 😂 **so it should be reasonable spoiler-free** **).  
**

* * *

Without You / Jay x Nya

"Hey." Hearing the sweet voice of his girlfriend, the Lightning Ninja looked up from his work. Nya was standing in the doorway, watching him through the open door. "May I come in?"

"H-hey, Nya." He blushed, quickly kicking the pile of laundry he had been sorting under his bed. "Sure, come in." He flashed her a bright smile.

"Thanks." The Water Ninja smiled back as she entered his room, closing the door behind her.

She sat down on his bed next to her boyfriend. "Whatcha doing?" She wanted to know.

"Oh, nothing exciting." He replied, "Just tidying up, and such. This place is such a mess. How long has it been that we've been here?"

"Way too long." Nya replied. And it had been a while - first the search for Master Wu, then their mission to protect the princess and the _Oni_ mask, and then Garmadon's so-called reign over Ninjago while some members of the team had been stuck in the _First Realm_.

"I'm already done with my room. It just needed a bit of dusting and putting fresh sheets on the bed." She leaned towards him. "Let me tell you a secret." She whispered in his ear. "No matter how long we've been away, this place may get dusty and have a few cobwebs, but it does _not_ un-tidy up itself."

Jay blushed. "I wouldn't be so sure about that. After all, we are living in an ex-haunted temple." He protested. "And Cole can say whatever he wants, I still believe that some ghosts have been left behind. But yes, I _might_ have left my room in a bit of a mess, when we set out to search for Master Wu..."

"But now he's back." She remarked, scooting even closer. "And he has given us the whole day off tomorrow, so I thought maybe we could go on a date? As you've said it yourself, it's been way too long since we've done anything fun."

A pair of deep blue eyes lit up. "Oh, that would be great." Jay exclaimed. "But-" His face fell. "I've already promised my parents I'd visit them as soon as I can. They were very upset after all that has happened, so I _really_ should go see them. Kai has mentioned he was going to see your mum and dad as well, so I assumed you were going to Ignacia with him. But if you are not, would you like to come to the junkyard with me? My parents would be delighted, you know they love you."

"Yeah, we could do that..." Nya said hesitantly. "But I was hoping to spend some time with you, just the two of us. I-I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you too." Jay took her hand. "And I promise that, next time we have some time off, we'll go on a date, just you and me."

"Okay." Nya gave him a weak smile. Her eyes fell on the picture he had on his nightstand. It was a photo of their second, more successful, date at the Mega Monster Amusement Park. She took it into her hands to take a closer look at it. "Can you believe how long _this_ has been?" She asked. "We looked so... different back then."

Jay smiled. "Yeah, we were so much younger."

"And I was so stupid..." Nya remarked. "I-I was so scared when you were gone." She suddenly blurted out.

"Me too." Jay agreed. "This really was a close thing - way too close."

"No, not that." Nya shook her head, her eyes glistening with tears. "Well, not _only_ that. I mean, we are Ninja, facing these difficult situations is part of the job description. But when we - Lloyd, Skylor, PIXAL, and me - didn't know that you guys had escaped, I was so scared of that moment that I'd have to face your parents and tell them that their son is dead, and I was scared of going back here and taking care of all your stuff myself. And most of all, I was scared of having to live on without you."

"Shh." He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her towards him. "I was scared of that, too. Scared that we wouldn't find a way to make it back and that I'd never get to see you again. Hey, I even started to pretend like everything was alright, just to avoid having to think of that being a possibility."

"Well, I _had_ to think of it all the time." Nya buried her face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his comforting scent of vanilla and honey. "You have no idea how I felt..." She mumbled.

"I am so sorry I-we've put you through this." He said, his own face in her raven hair. "But... I do know _exactly_ how you've felt.

Nya pulled away, looking at him, with her brown eyes wide open and tears running down her face.

"In the other timeline, whe-when you were dying in my arms, I had no idea how I was supposed to keep living my life without you." He told her. "Because you _are_ my life. And at the same time, I had so many regrets about all those mistakes I'd made that had driven us apart."

"I know..." Nya nodded. "It was _my_ stupidness that have cost us all these years together."

"But looking back, I believe that a break wasn't the worst idea, because our relationship now is so much different compared to what it was like before that whole love triangle mess." Jay tried to comfort her.

"You're just saying that to make me feel better." His girlfriend gave him a weak smile. "But it works. As it _always_ does."

"I'm glad to hear that. But I really mean it." Jay insisted. "We've got a second chance to make things better, and I'd say we've taken it."

"We have." Nya agreed. "But when you were gone, I thought I had missed my _last_ chance to tell you how much I love you."

"I love you too." Jay placed a quick kiss on her cheek. "And I really wished we hadn't been in such a hurry when we left Mystake's teashop. Just like when you and Kai went after Krux and Acronix into the time vortex."

"These situations have made me realise how precious every short moment is." Nya said. "We live such a dangerous life, we just can't afford to waste a single one, because it easily could be our last. And I want to spend as many of them with you."

"So do I." Jay jumped to his feet, pulling Nya up with him. "So let's not waste this one with cleaning up - and knowing myself, this room would very soon become a mess again anyway - let's go on a date right now."

"Let's do that!" Nya laughed. "But what about Sensei Wu?"

Jay shrugged. "Ah, I'm sure he'll understand. After all, he's the one who's taught us never to put off until tomorrow what can be done today." He smiled. "And even if he doesn't, I'm _never_ gonna risk losing another chance of spending precious time with you again."


End file.
